Plateau State first Lady, Barr. Helen Mutfwang have confirmed that about 96 percent household gain access to free insecticide treated mosquito nets across the 17 local government areas of the state.
She assured government unwavering commitment towards engagement with stakeholders in the healthcare sector in tackling communicable and none communicable disease among women and children in Plateau.
The first Lady made this known on Friday at Crispan Hotel and Event Suit in Jos, as she officially flagged off the African vaccination week, which culminated with the National Immunization Plus Day as well as commemoration of World Malaria Day 2025 campaign.
The campaign which aimed to eliminate the scourge of Malaria prevalence was initiated by the Plateau State government in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO), United Nation International Children's Education Fund (UNICEF), Malaria Consortium, GAVi among other partners.
Emphasizing the significance of keeping a sanitary environment, Mrs Mutfwang also charged parents and guardians to take advantage of the initiative and avail their wards for immunization as the vaccine are safe, effective, and free.
Nurse Kizito Ndak, program manager state malaria elimination program, revealed they decided to host the program in one day under what they call the SWAP project, which is the Sector-Wide Approach.
"We want to have projects implemented at once—one report, one budget—and everything done together. We don't want a situation where these particular programs are split. The African Vaccination Week is supposed to start tomorrow, but we are flagging it off today while also marking World Malaria Day.
"So today is the day Her Excellency came to tell our parents—especially our mothers—that they should make their children available to receive the polio vaccine, which is available across the 17 local government areas. All the vaccines provided are safe. You know that when children under five are not immunized, they become highly vulnerable to killer diseases like measles and tuberculosis, and most times, they hardly survive such illnesses.
"But when parents ensure their children are vaccinated, you'll find that any child who encounters such diseases is already immune. We are also emphasizing the fact that malaria is one of the leading causes of death in children under five. Malaria is treatable.
"If you are unable to consistently use a treated mosquito net, whenever a child develops a fever, the child should be taken to the hospital and tested. If the test result is positive, there are medications that can cure the child, preventing death from malaria parasites", Nurse Ndak stated.
UNICEF country representative for Nigeria, Cristian Munduate acknowledged there are a lot of improvement on the Plateau as far as immunization is concerned.
Munduate who was represented at the occasion said they are supporting the immunization campaign with over one million doses of oral vaccines to eradicate polio and malaria in Plateau.
She called on the government to increase domestic investment as thus will go a long way in addressing the healthcare system and ensuring that no child left behind.
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