A stop-and-search method at all military checkpoints to detect children who were not immunized where they are coming from has been introduced in Taraba state.
The new approach, our finding revealed, was to guard against transmission of the virus into the state following reported cases of polio in Gwoza and Jere areas of Borno state recently.
The head of a vaccination team met by our reporter at one of the military checkpoints along Mutum Biyu Jalingo road, Abdullahi Hammandikko, said all children on transit found not immunized were compelled to be immunized.
The team leader stated that parents of children on transit were cooperating with the team and only few complained of time wasting in the process of checking and administrating the vaccination on their children.
Speaking on the new approach, The Executive chairman of the state Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mallam Aminu Jauro Hassan, said since the reported cases of fresh polio in Borno state, Taraba government swung into action and deployed immunization teams to all military checkpoints.
Mallam Aminu said a number of internally displaced persons were coming into the state and all children found to have missed the programme must be immunized immediately.
