Lack of marker pens halt immunisation in Kebbi

                    
The Kebbi State Government on Monday suspended the polio immunisation exercise meant to commence across the 225 wards of its 21 local government areas due to lack of marker pens.


NAN reports that the National Polio Immunisation (NPI) Manager for Birnin-Kebbi Local Government, Alhaji Bello Umar, confirmed the suspension in an interview with newsmen after the flag-off of the exercise at the Deputy Governor’s residence in Kebbi.

Umar said that the commencement of the exercise had been shifted to Thursday, Oct. 19.

“We are likely to receive the marker pens probably by Tuesday.

“If it comes, we will commence the distribution of the vaccines on Wednesday while immunization proper will kick-off on Thursday this week.

“However, all necessary materials to embark on the polio immunisation exercise are on ground, it is only the maker pens that are not available.”

The Commissioner of Health, Alhaji Umar Kambaza, who also confirmed the suspension of the exercise, said that the markers would be available soon.

He said that the exercise targeted one million children across the 225 wards in the state and would last for four days.

Kambaza said: “after the flag-off, I conducted inquiries in some of the local governments in the state such as Aliero, Jega, Yauri, Birnin-Kebbi and Shanga.

“They all confirmed that the polio immunisation exercise had been postponed to Thursday for the simple reason of lack of marker pens to identify any child who has been immunised’’