By Suleiman Adamu, Sokoto
Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar has advised government and other critical stakeholders to rise to the welfare needs and health challenges facing Nigerians.
” While addressing health challenges, the welfare of our people is first and nothing more. We also need to plan with all honesty, sincerity and the fear of God”, he stressed.
According to him, doing so would help stabilise and promote a healthy population and nation.
Abubakar spoke in Sokoto on Tuesday when he received a team of top officials from the NPHCDA, WHO, UNICEF and other development partners led by the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Mr Faisal Shuaib on a courtesy visit to him.
The visit which also had on the delegation WHO Deputy Country Representative, Mr. Alexander Chimbaru and UNICEF Chief Health Official, Mr Eduardo Celades, was part of its efforts at reaching out to leaders and the general public for better interactions towards reversing the trend of health challenges.
The revered monarch who noted that the attention given to Covid-19 issues has over shadowed what other killer diseases was given, stressing that ” other diseases deserve better attention as they are deadlier than Covid-19 .
” We have to make concerted efforts at creating more awareness on all health related challenges especially on maternal , child mortality at rural areas where only a few can access health facilities for immunisation and antenatal attention”, he pointed out.
Abubakar said Nigerians have to be encouraged to accept vaccines to reverse the negative narratives and conspiracy theories with a view to disabusing negative minds through proper education and let than know why they should be vaccinated rather than believing that it kills .
He although, observed that the common man believed his welfare was paramount before anything else and which has to be taken serious.
” Poverty has ravaged many Nigerians and are not ready to listen to anything vaccination.
” There should be strong ànd more effective engagements to convince people to accept vaccines.
” I recall how we had to drive he issue of polio eradication to success. We can only be appealing by demonstrating attractive approach and not to force people to take Covid-19 vaccines “, he called.
In the same vein, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal who earlier received the delegation said a lot has to be done to strengthen the capacity of the country’s PHC systems through responsive synergy that would guarantee quality services were accessed by citizens.
He noted that the challenges of the Covid-19 variant , maternal , child mortality were obvious and deadly.
” Sokoto state government is ready and willing to extend all necessary support in reversing the trends”, he assured.
He told the delegation that his administration has committed resources to the establishment of functional tertiary health facilities in order to upgrade the state health and educational system with a view to training and retraining of personnel for long term benefits.
He appealed to Sokoto people to shun all negative narratives and present themselves and children for the Covid-19 and routine immunization vaccines.
” Prevention is better than cure. Covid-19 is real. I have taken mine. You should also do the same”, he called.
Speaking , NPHCDA Boss, Faisal Shuaib
who acknowledged the efforts of governor Tambuwal comprehensive providing comprehensive healthcare facilities in combating Covid-19 noted and over 200 upgraded others, said despite the huge investments, yet no commensurate progress had been recorded.
” Our coming today is to strengthen ways and areas FG will support to match the indices against negative effects of health challenges in the state especially in the areas of maternal and child mortality, malnutrition and Covid-19 variant through proper tracking”
He said the federal government through the NPHCDA and efforts of development partners was targeting 112 million Nigerians for vaccination at the end of 2022.
” We projected not less than 550,000 daily for Covid-19 vaccination but to our dismay, only 200,000 is being recorded which is far below expectation”, he pointed out.
According to Shuaib” we are fast building responsive monitoring frame work through routine checks to ensure results with strict adherence to driving accountable approach in our operations”, he said.
In their separate remarks , WHO representative, Mr Chimbaru and Mr Celades of UNICEF noted that Nigeria would not be safe unless it fast tracks necessary support and synergy variables as line of defence to effectively tackle its health challenges .
According to the duo” the leadership must act for the world and nation to be safe by promoting good planning and adequate funding to ensure the protection of lives by encouraging vaccinations and routine immunisations across populations against diseases.”
Though, the top officials noted the huge allocation by the Sokoto state government towards improving the health system .
