United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says Nigeria has an estimated two million zero-dose children at risk of many diseases, including polio.
Zero-dose children are those children that lack access to or never reached by routine immunisation services.
Rahaman Mohammed-Farah, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Kano, said this on Thursday in Kano during the unveiling of an immunisation song titled: “No More Zero Dose”.
He said there was the need for stakeholders to intensify efforts towards ensuring effective immunisation of every child in the country.
According to him, the song is being launched in Nigeria, across West and Central African states, fittingly on the World Polio Day.
“It epitomises the strong commitment of UNICEF and partners in West Africa and Central African subregions, including Nigeria, to improving immunisation coverage,” he said.
Mohammed-Farah said the song featured top music stars and UNICEF champions from Nigeria, Mali, Chad, Cameroon and Guinea.
He listed the artists to include Cobhams; WAJE, Master Soumy, Sekouba Bambino and, our own, Ali Nuhu.
“We therefore need to spread the message through this song of the importance of immunisation and getting every child under five, fully immunised.
“I therefore urged the traditional and social media, Kannywood, singers, and influencers to deploy their channels to ensure that this song goes viral and widely disseminated,” he said.
Highlights of the event also featured media dialogue on immunisation attended by journalists drawn from states across the federation. NAN
