UNICEF, Adamawa LG Intensify Vaccine Access, Hygiene Promotion Efforts

Ganye Local Government Council of Adamawa partnered the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to implement strategies for increased access to immunisation and promotion of hygiene practices.
The Chairman of the council, Mr Farouq Mohammed, disclosed this at the official unveiling of the “Fathers for Good Health” initiative in Ganye yesterday.
Mohammed described health as critical sector requiring community participation, assuring UNICEF and residents of the council’s total support for the initiative.
He said “as a government, we want to assure the Fathers for Good Health inaugurated today, that my administration will support and ensure success in improving the health status of Ganye people.
“Government remains committed to sustaining immunisation and the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programmes and maternal health campaigns.”
He commended UNICEF for its continuous support, noting that the WASH programme initiated by the agency had started yielding positive results.
He added that “with workshops, seminars and enlightenment activities, people have started accepting the programme.
“Behavioural change is happening, open defecation is reducing, toilets are being built and boreholes sunk across communities, indeed we express our appreciation to UNICEF.”
The UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change Specialist, Bauchi Field Office, Mr George Eki, said the inauguration marks a new approach to strengthening community participation in immunisation and hygiene improvement.
Eki said UNICEF’s past community engagement strategies focused mainly on women, but recent studies revealed that fathers’ resistance often hindered children from receiving vaccines.
“This gave birth to the Fathers for Good Health initiative, which started in Bauchi and has now been expanded to Plateau, Borno and Adamawa states.
“The idea is to involve fathers directly, as decision makers in the home, so that they take ownership of their children’s health.
“The inauguration by the local government chairman today also demonstrates government ownership and commitment to sustainability.”
Eki expressed hope that the initiative would boost vaccination rates, reduce disease outbreaks and strengthen household hygiene practices in Ganye.
In his remarks, Dr Jared Gangso, the Secretary of Ganye Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said 100 men were selected with 10 assigned to each ward in the council.
He explained that “in terms of immunisation, they will go from house-to-house to mobilise families, bring children for vaccination and improve coverage, thereby reducing outbreaks such as measles and cholera.
“With these measures in place, we can address more than 50 per cent of disease prevalence in the area.”
He noted that Ganye was among communities in Nigeria with the highest number of maternal deaths, stressing that the group would register pregnant women and link them with healthcare facilities to reduce maternal deaths.
He said, “I am optimistic that within a year, the health situation in Ganye would improve significantly, and with the support of fathers, the narrative would soon change.”