About 200,000 children have never been immunised in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Health Specialist of UNICEF, Sokoto field office, Dr Danjuma Nehemiah, disclosed this during a 2-day media dialogue on routine immunization and zero dose reduction campaign holding in Sokoto.
Breaking down the figure, he said Sokoto recorded 122,015 zero dose as at December last year.
He added that Kebbi and Zamfara states recorded 17,352 and 47,085 zero doses respectively.
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“Many factors contributed to this, notably among them is fear of the side effect of the immunization because some children reacted to it.
“Another reason is some mothers or care givers are too busy to take their children from routine immunization; there is also the issue of misconception as some care givers thought their children are fully immunized after taking some doses.
“And some mothers hinge their reason on lack of transport fare,” he said
He was, however, optimistic that there will be a positive change after the next survey because of the current efforts by stakeholders to stem the menace, appealing for sustained sensitization by the media.
Dr Abdurrahman Ahmed, Director of Public Health in Sokoto, also urged the media to use their platforms to educate the public on the need to accept routine immunization.
In her goodwill message, the Chief of UNICEF Sokoto field office, Dr Maryam Sa’’id, who was represented by Dr Shamila Sharma, noted that routine immunization was important for children’s survival.
