Emerges best performing state in PMRP project
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) support of the Borno State Primary Health Care Board (BPHCB) has led to a 44 per cent increase in the immunisation of children in the state.
   
Over 11,000 individuals, including house-to-house mobilisation, radio broadcast, and digital storytelling, were engaged and adopted to dispel the myths in promoting trust in the immunisation of children in 10 communities of the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere council.
    
The Executive Secretary of BPHCB, represented by the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, Hajjiya Ali, said that to achieve the 44 per cent immunisation rate in Maiduguri and Jere, caregivers were engaged in the communities.
    
She noted that the increase in immunisation rate has significantly reflected a decline in preventable diseases among children in the state.

 Speaking at the closing event of the Adopt APHC Niger Challenge in Maiduguri, UNICEF Health Specialist Dr Hassan Malgwi said the three-month challenge has been a testament to the power of youth-led advocacy, partnership, volunteerism, innovation, and community-driven solutions at the grassroots level.
   
Beyond the partnership with the state government, he said, “Through your creativity, passion and dedication, you have reached the unreached, mobilised groups and communities, as well as inspired a new wave of champions for child health.”
    
The UNICEF representative stated that the immunisation project has helped identify and support zero-dose children by providing them with the vaccines they need to thrive and reach their full potential.

MEANWHILE, Borno State has emerged as the overall best-performing state in the implementation of the Plus and Malaria Progress (PMRP) component of the World Bank’s IMPACT project.
  
By accelerating routine vaccination and malaria prevention programmes, the state surpassed the other 35 participating states to clinch the National Immunisation Award.
  
Governor Babagana Zulum, who received the World Bank IMPACT team in Maiduguri, said the project aims to reduce child mortality by 50 per cent over the next five years and strengthen 235 primary and secondary healthcare centres across the state.
  
He explained that the IMPACT project has provided integrated immunisation-plus and malaria prevention services, significantly boosting health outcomes in the state.
   
Presenting the award to the governor, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Baba Gana, attributed the recognition to the state’s strong performance in deploying digital monitoring tools and maintaining high data quality in tracking progress and protecting children from preventable diseases.