Organisation urges FG to pay more attention to states with low immunisation coverage

Community Health and Research Initiative an NGO, has appealed to Federal Government to pay more attention to states with low immunisation coverage and high child mortality indices.
Asma’u Rufa’i, the Knowledge Management and Communications Coordinator of the organisation, made the appeal in a statement on Monday in Abuja, in commemoration of 2018 Africa Vaccination Week.
She said the organisation appealed for adequate immunisation finances in the budget and timely release of funds for routine immunisation programmes.
She added that African Vaccination Week was running concurrently with World Immunisation Week, saying AVW was aimed at providing opportunity for countries to strengthen immunisation services and systems through advocacy, education and communication tools and activities.
She said: “In 2018, AVW is highlighting the theme ‘Vaccines Protect Everyone, Get Vaccinated.”
She noted that World Health Organisation’s Regional Office for Africa (WHO, AFRO) launched the 8th AVW and would commence on April 23.
Rufa’i said the week was to raise awareness about the importance of vaccination in reducing child mortality and renew efforts around universal vaccination coverage.
He said: “Vaccination can save children’s lives and keep adults, communities and nations healthy. One in five African children still lacks access to necessary and basic vaccinations.
“AVW 2018 is sequel to January 2017 Heads of State endorsement of the Addis Ababa Declaration on Immunisation, a historic pledge to ensure that everyone in Africa receives full benefits of immunization.’’
She explained that the ADI Roadmap provided member states with specific strategies that could be incorporated into existing efforts to improve immunisation.