Posted on: Wed 04-11-2020

Strategies to sustain the support of religious leaders in strengthening routine immunization , Anti Natal Care (ANC) and Covid-19 sensitization in Taraba state have been mapped out by the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (TSPHCDA ).

In achieving this , the agency with support from  the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), as observed by our correspondent have commenced the engagement of religious leaders on roundtables meetings emergency on routine immunization and Public Health Care (PHC) services.  

The exercise which as at the time of filing this report have commenced in four out of the sixteen local government councils of the state,  was observed to have as well been tilted towards applauding both the leadership of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Moslem Council of Nigeria (MCN) for their contribution and supports towards polio eradication and certification.

Our correspondent noticed that exercise which  kicked off in Mutum-biyu, the administrative headquarters of Gassol council,  brought together religious leaders from both the Christians and muslims faith.

Elated by the development,  the council chairman, Alhaji Musa Chull, urged the religious leaders not to go bed as a result of the certification of the country to be polio free but to redouble their efforts in mobilizing their followers to avail themselves for all the relevant ongoing routine immunizations in the state.  

The council boss who went as far as tasking the clerics on the need for them to tread extra legitimate miles in disabusing the minds of their adherents from the myths and misinformation surrounding the  routine immunizations, urged the women and the children to take advantage of the immunization which according to him are free.  

Also lauding the efforts of both UNICEF and the agency, the need for other development partners to borrow leaves from UNICEF by extending the much desired helping hands to women and children spread across the state and the country at large,  he believed can no longer be overemphasized.  

Aligning his weight to that of the chairman,  the Director PHC of the council,  Clement Sabo,  who tread several miles to enumerated the efforts so far put in place in the council by the UNICEF and the agency in a to herald smiles on the faces of both the women and the children,  said the ongoing engagement with religious leaders would not only assist halting the spread of Covid-19 into the council and the state at large,  but would as well spur pregnant women to visit health facilities in their domains.  

On his own part, the council health educator,  Mamunu  Mohammed, who urged the people to still adhere strictly to the global precautionary measures on Covid-19,  believed  that that the pandemic unlike the polio,  has not yet been eradicated hence the need for the people to eschew acts that would expose them to the virus.  

on their own parts, the religious leaders stressed their determinations not to ceased or relent from dishing out the much desired sermons that would encourage  their congregations to  make use of the various health facilities spread across their areas of jurisdiction  

Councils where the exercise was observed to have commenced are Ardo- kola,Gassol, Yorro and Zing.

By Charles Akpeji

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