Etsu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar | File Image
By Mohammed Usman
Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has advised lactating mothers not to deny their babies breast milk to protect them against child-related illnesses.
Etsu Nupe gave the advice at the flag-off of Integrated Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign for the 25 local government areas (LGAs) at his palace in Bida on Thursday.
The monarch, who described the exercise as a milestone in the primary health sector, urged mothers to turnout en-masse to ensure their babies are vaccinated for protection against prevalent diseases.
His words: “It is our responsibility to ensure that our children benefit from this exercise. The vaccine is good for our children and does not have side effect or in any way hamper human growth and development”.
Also, the wife of the governor, Hajiya Fatima Umar Bago, who flagged off the campaign, said that the vaccine was aimed at protecting thousands of children from preventable diseases.
Also read: Etsu Nupe a bridge builder, peacemaker –IBB
The governor’s wife, who described MR disease as current major threats to children’s lives, appealed to mothers to visit the nearest vaccination centres at no cost and vaccinate their babies.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr. Abdullahi Usman Imam, had earlier confirmed that expected goal was to vaccinate all eligible children to reduce maternal, morbidity, and mortality rate.
In her goodwill message, Chief of Kaduna Field Office United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), Dr. Gerida Birukila, represented by Health Specialist, Dr. Ahmed Tsofo, expressed the agency’s commitments in the fight against MR disease.
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