Over 1m immunised against measles in Jigawa

No fewer than 1,036,503 eligible children received measles vaccines during the just -concluded health week in Jigawa state, commissioner for Health, Dr. Tafida Abubakar has revealed.

In a statement signed and issued to Vanguard by the Public Relations Officer of the ministry, Comrade Mati Ali said about 956,169 children received nutrition assessment and support and hematinic to 92,961 pregnant women as well as health promotion talks on breast feeding, hand washing and demonstration on basic hygiene.

The commissioner explained that the ministry and Gunduma Health System Board have dedicated the health week to conduct the exercise across the 576 selected health facilities in the state with deployment of over 3,000 ad hoc staff as well as mechanism for supervision and monitoring exercise. The theme of this year's Health Week is 'Maternal, New born and Child Health aimed to improve the health of women and children in the state'.

The statement added that, the exercise is part of national program centrally organized by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency boost the delivery of key intervention to the populace, adding that the state government and development partners have committed a lot of resources to achieve the desire goal.

The commissioner in the statement urged parents and care givers to maximally utilize this pro_poor, family centered dividend of democracy of the government of Dr. Sule Lamido for the betterment of their health and improve productivity.

Delta Group Calls For Credible Aspirants For 2015 Elections

A group, Delta Democratic Movement (DDM), has urged Deltans to unite against few individuals who are head bent on heating up the polity in the state through a non-existing zoning or rotational agenda, insisting that only a credibly detribalised Deltan is good enough for the State in 2015.

In a statement made available to newsmen after its meeting in Abuja, the group advised that the people of the State should not rely on politics of zoning, as it is capable of promoting politics of exclusion and rigging at the expense of a credible leadership, most needed to govern the State in 2015 and beyond.

The statement signed on behalf of the Movement by Dr Peter Ebike, Barr. David Ekuetafia and Mr. Sam Omoko, the group stated that, surprise awaits merchants of politics of division, exclusion and rigging in the State come 2015, saying that over the years Deltans have advanced politically to be able to choose their leaders through credible and meritorious processes than otherwise.

While urging Deltans across the three senatorial zones who have gubernatorial ambitions to present themselves before the electorate, the Movement reiterated that “Delta State has come of age, and only the best is good enough for the our people, irrespective of the zone the person hails from”.

“It is pertinent to recall here that this politics of zoning and rotational leadership subtly crept into the body politics of Delta State when a group of political gladiators successfully experimented a deliberate political calculation to their favour and since then many people within and without Delta State have been ignorantly led to believe that there is an operational zoning formula in place where in the position of the governor is rotated among the three senatorial districts in the State” DDM said.

According to it, “This has consequently engendered the 'it is our turn' mentality which in the past gave rise to imposition of candidates and unhealthy ethnic rivalry in the body politics of Delta State with the attendant problems of leadership by exclusion”.

The group alerted the people of the State that “As activities gear up towards the 2015 general elections, the cloud of the politics of imposition and exclusion is getting thicker with many of the aspiring governorship aspirants chorusing, even louder,  the 'it-is-our-turn' slogan, obviously without considering the implications of such outcome on the peace and security of the State”.

“It is our candid belief in Delta Democratic Movement, that the only way to improve the electoral fortunes of Deltans is to create a level playing field for all aspirants/candidates irrespective of their zones of origin. In this way the Governor who will emerge will enjoy the support of the majority of the people of the State”.