Wife of Gombe State governor, Hajiya Adama Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo has been saddled with the responsibility of championing the course of polio eradication in the state, following her appointment as the chairperson of Gombe State Task Force on immunisation and strengthening of primary healthcare.
Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo gave the urge while inaugurating the 20-man task force.
He said that this was based on the backdrop that she would use her influence to mobilise women in the state to meet all the immunisation targets.”
The governor, who expressed concern over the discovery of wild polio virus, said that the task force was meant to reinforce the administration’s oversight function on Primary Health Care.
He said that the whole idea was based on assurance that improving the performance of all stakeholders in the health sector remained vital for maternal, newborn and child mortality to be drastically reduced.
“Although the state has made remarkable progress in the eradication of polio as evidenced in the absence of wild polio virus for almost four years, the state regrettably re-infected in with wild polio virus type-1 in the first and second quarter of 2013.
“The task force among other things is charged with the responsibility of ensuring effective leadership and coordination of all immunisation activities in the state and to provide regular feedback to the governor”, he added.
He also tasked them to prepare and regularly review/update a 12-month state work plan for intensification of polio eradication and routine immunisation activities required to interrupt and sustain interruption of wild polio virus.
The committee was also charged with responsibility to define the criteria for selection of key personnel involved in the IPDs as well as to monitor the quality of immunisation plus days in the state, identify areas of weakness and ensure appropriate corrective action is taken in a timely manner.
Review the progress in routine immunisation service delivery through the Researching Every Ward REW approach and advocate increased attention and focus on poor performing LGA with highest number of unimmunised or partially immunised children and to coordinate the planning and execution of Polio Eradication Immunization Activities, IPDs, in the state.
