WHO Engages 3,000 Volunteers for 10 Days Yellow Fever Vaccination in Borno

No fewer than 3,000 volunteers have been mobilised for 10 days Yellow Fever vaccination in Borno State, the World Health Organisation said.

A statement issued Saturday by WHO Communications Officer, Emergency Programme, Dr. Chima Onuekwe, said that the exercise will kick off on Monday, February 5, and will run till February 14, 2018.

“WHO is working with other partners on yellow fever vaccination in Borno. We are targeting children and adults from nine months to 45 years in about 288 wards across 25 local governments in Borno,” Onuekwe said at an interraction with newsmen in Maiduguri.

He said the need to conduct vaccination against yellow fever was fueled by WHO concern for public health.

“We don’t want to take chances because of the perculiarity of emergency situation in Borno, the high number of displaced persons who may be vulnerable to disease outbreak and the issue of public health. We don’t want a repeat of disease outbreak like the Cholera issue last year,” he said.

According to the statement, the only suspected case of yellow fever was discovered in Gwoza Local Government of Borno, WHO said. The vaccination will take place in 25 out of 27 LGs in the state. Two local governments; Abadam and Marte (northern Borno) are still not accessible by humanitarian organisations due to security challenge of Boko Haram insurgency.