By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
About 181,000 children in the eight prioritized Local Government Areas of Borno state in the North East Nigeria are not immunized, according to UNICEF.
The UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate , who stated this while addressing newsmen on Friday in Maidugiri, identified the affected LGAs to include – Jere, Mafa, Konduga, MMC. Damboa. Ngala, Gubio and Monguno.
Munduate also said that 1.4 million living in conflict-prone areas of Bono, Adamawa and Yobe states have been provided with psychosocial support as a result of the effects of the crisis on their mental and physical health.
She added that about 400,000 children with acute and moderate malnutrition cases are being treated in collaboration with other partners and the.state governments.
According to her, the humanitarian organisation will never relent on its efforts in prudently supporting and providing all the needed humanitarian services required within its mandate for the overall interest of the children who are the future generation of the world, particularly, the over 2.6 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
She identified the lack of health facilities, inadequate health workers, lack of accountability, low level of education and advocacy as some of the factors responsible for the high rate of children who are not immunized in the North East.
She also commended the governments of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe states and other humanitarian partners for their support to UNICEF in taking care of children, who are highly afflicted by the insurgency while calling for a more sustain cordial working relationship.
“Tomorrow, Saturday is World Humanitarian Day. We plan to join the rest of the world in commemorating the day. I salute all humanitarian workers who have stood firm in discharging their responsibilities despite all the adversity to.serve the people of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. Their courage and determination are remarkable..
“UNICEF being the leading humanitarian agency delivering results for some of the most disadvantaged children , particularly, the vulnerable across the world globally, assures that more needs of the people and children will be fully supported as a commitment in collaboration with the government and people of Borno State”, she said.
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