By Khalid Idris Doya The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has described Misau and Ningi Local Government Areas of Bauchi State as...
By Khalid Idris Doya
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has described Misau and Ningi Local Government Areas of Bauchi State as potential disaster zones due to their high rates of unvaccinated children. These areas have not received any preventable vaccines against disease outbreaks.
UNICEF’s Social Behaviour Change Communication Specialist at the Bauchi Field Office, George Eki, spoke to journalists in Misau yesterday during a visit to assess the impact of the "Fathers for Good Health" program.
According to UNICEF, the "Fathers for Good Health" initiative aims to engage fathers in promoting positive health-seeking behavior.
Mr. Eki said, "We selected two LGAs for our pilot studies: Misau and Ningi. These two LGAs are what we call zero dose LGAs, meaning many children from these communities have never received a single dose of vaccine. This is a recipe for disaster because if you have more children who are zero dose, there is going to be an outbreak."
He added, "We also looked at other criteria, such as the offtake of vaccines in health facilities, and these two LGAs are low performing."
George explained that based on these selection criteria, UNICEF engaged the communities in various ways to change attitudes.
"Communities have a voice in deciding what needs to change. We talked to men, mothers, and elderly fathers. What came out was very clear and confirmed the studies we have conducted so far. Mothers kept telling us, 'If you want our children to be vaccinated, please talk to the men.' So, the establishment of the support group is quite good."
The Specialist concluded, "Across the 36 wards of the two Local Government Areas, we have established what we call Fathers for Good Health Support Groups, consisting of ten men in each ward, making a total of 360 fathers addressing this issue. So far, we are beginning to see results."
A member of the 'Fathers for Good Health' initiative in Misau, Malam Aliyu Abubakar, shared his thoughts on the program, saying, "We are now encouraged to embrace the program after being fully enlightened about its objectives and mission. In the past, I didn't allow preventive vaccinations for my children or wives, but following the enlightenment drive by UNICEF, I am now eager for my family to access the preventive vaccines."
Abubakar explained that three of his six children now receive preventive healthcare services. "Today, I am among those who educate my community members on the significance of adopting preventive health measures," he said.
He also highlighted the difference in health conditions between those who access preventive health services and those who do not, emphasizing the adage "health is wealth."
Yahaya Barde Ibrahim, another father and group member, expressed gratitude for UNICEF’s enlightenment on guiding their children towards proper health. "I am confident that the preventive vaccines being administered to our children will protect them from communicable diseases," he said.
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