Story By Khadijat Aliyu ,Edited by Godwin Duru
The Chief of Field Office for UNICEF in Kano, Mr. Rahma Rihood Muhammad Farah, has announced plans to recruit 5,500 Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCMs) in Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa to combat the spread of type 2 poliovirus (cVPV2).
Mr. Rahma Farah made this announcement during a Volunteer Community Mobilizers VCM expansion training held in the Ungoggo local government area of Kano.
He mentioned that in order to expand the network of volunteers in the three states, 2,108 individuals have been newly recruited and are currently undergoing training, and an additional 3,400 will be engaged in the second phase.
“The aim is to sustain previous progress and stop the spread of the circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2)”.
Mr. Rahma emphasized that Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states account for about 70% of reported cases of circulating poliovirus variants in Nigeria, underscoring the necessity for the training of the newly recruited VCMs.
The chief of field office hinted that the training of the newly recruited VCMs focuses on interpersonal communication skills , community mobilization skills, promotion of maternal and newborn and child health (MNCH).
“ Exclusive breastfeeding, birth registration, polio and routine immunization among others”.
He pointed out that, the training will be followed by a ten days micro census in the selected communities where the VCMs will document all under five children and pregnant women for follow up and referral.
The UNICEF Chief of Field office added that the VCMs are a group of influential women selected from communities with high number of unvaccinated children (zero dose) and children who have missed polio vaccine.
“The VCM network has been in existence in Nigeria since 2012 saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring that all children under the age of 5 Receive oral polio vaccination and other vaccines”.
The Interim Management Committee Chairman IMC Ungoggo local government, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi described UNICEF as partners in the fight against maternal and infant mortality.
He urged participants to utilize the knowledge gained and reiterated their support to achieve the desired objectives.
Some of the participants who spoke to Radio Nigeria Amina Aminu Sani and Fatima Haruna Shu’aibu described the training as apt.
Radio Nigeria reports that the training was organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Kano state Primary Healthcare Management Board (KNSPHCMB).
KHADIJAH ALIYU
