Fatima Bago, wife of the Niger State governor, has inaugurated a statewide advocacy campaign on routine immunization and primary health care, urging collective action to ensure no child remains unvaccinated.
It was reported that the programme was launched in Minna during a state-level advocacy event held at the Primary Health Care Centre, Garatu, drawing key stakeholders in the health sector.
She said the gathering marked a moment of unity, driven by a shared commitment to ensuring that every child grows up healthy and strong, with improved access to quality healthcare services across the state.
According to her, routine immunisation remains a simple yet highly effective intervention that guarantees child survival and significantly reduces the burden of preventable diseases among children in communities.
The governr’s wife emphasised that prevention is better than cure, noting that vaccines remain one of the greatest gifts parents can give their children to secure their health and future.
She commended health workers across the state for their resilience and dedication, especially those serving in hard-to-reach communities, ensuring that more children receive life-saving vaccines despite logistical and environmental challenges.
Bago, however, expressed concern over the persistence of zero-dose children who have not received any immunisation, stressing the need for targeted identification, awareness campaigns, and stronger community-level interventions.
She announced the inauguration of “Mama Ambassadors,” drawn from the wives of local government chairmen, to promote advocacy messages at the grassroots level and encourage mothers to access immunisation and antenatal services.
She urged fathers, as well as religious and traditional leaders, to support women in ensuring that children are immunised, stressing that safeguarding child health requires collective responsibility, sustained advocacy, and active community engagement.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Mohammed Bagana, said the administration of Gov. Umaru Bago plans to construct 111 Level Two Primary Health Centres across the state.
Bagana, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Abdullahi Imam, said more than 20 centres have been completed, while 19 are fully financed by the state government to improve access to healthcare services.
He added that through partnerships with organisations, including the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), UNICEF, and others, about 22 additional centres are under construction and will be fully equipped.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Inuwa Junaidu, said the initiative aligns with efforts to provide equitable, accessible, and affordable healthcare services statewide.
He said the agency prioritises maternal, newborn, and child health through programmes such as routine immunisation, antenatal and postnatal care, nutrition services, and sustained community outreach initiatives.
Highlights of the event included the decoration of the wives of the 25 local government chairmen as immunisation ambassadors by the governor’s wife to promote awareness and advocate child health across the state.
