Parents in Nigeria given gifts to have their children immunized

From This Day in Nigeria:

BAUCHI, Nigeria -- For allowing their children under five years to be immunised against poliomyelitis and other child killer diseases, parents in Alkaleri Local Government council of Bauchi State got gift items, including detergents, soaps and other household items.

The items which are called ‘pluses’ were distributed as incentives during the implementation of immunisation plus days as well as the on-going 2010 Maternal and New Born Child Health Week/June Immunisation plus Days as monitored in Alkaleri West and East last weekend.

House to house and fixed vaccinators as well as their supervisors went round with detergents as well as soaps which they gave to parents who complied with the exercise.

The Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO) of the council, Likita Abubakar, who conducted our correspondent round, said the gesture has bolstered compliance, adding that "before non compliance was high especially in Alkaleri town but with such measures and the intervention of the Emir of Dass, Usman Bilyaminu Othman, who is the chairman of the state mobilisation committee, compliance is now 100%.’’

Our correspondent observed that Oral Polio Vaccines, Measles, DPT, TT, Hepatitis B and Yellow Fever vaccines were being administered apart from other medicines which included de-worming tablets and supplements, to the children while officials of the National Population Commission accompanied the vaccinators to issue birth certificates to the children who were not registered before.