Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku says his administration is determined to provide
functional Primary Health Care facility in
all the nooks and crannies of the State.

Governor Darius Ishaku stated this Friday in
Sabon Gari Primary school Jalingo while
flagging off the the second outbreak Response Sub National Immunization Plus Days
SNIPDS, reiterating the determination of his
Rescue Mission to provide all the Primary Health
Care facilities with competent staff that would
provide 24 hours services.
He maintained that his Government is poised to
enhance manpower development by
repositioning and strengthening the State
College of Nursing and Midwifery and College
of Health Technology Takum which will help
provide a more robust and sustainable
Health Institution geared towards churning
out qualitative health personnel for the
State.

The Governor mentioned that because of his
desire to further improve health delivery services
in the State, his administration created an
enabling environment for the newly legislated
Taraba State Primary Health Care Development
Agency TSPHCDA, that is saddled with the
responsibility of providing quality, affordable
and accessible health service to all corners of the
State.
Furthermore, the Governor said his
administration will continue to explore more
avenues to partner with international Donor
agencies such as UNICEF, WHO, CDC, N-Stop and
other global institutions to help provide financial
and technical support in providing Health Care
services to the people at all levels.

The Governor spoke more on the outbreak Response
which is meant to raise firewall that will
boost immunity of our children and keep our
community safe from infectious diseases, “To
those people in the huts and villages located on
the hills, valleys and rivers of Taraba State, in
struggling to break the bonds of inaccessible
quality healthcare, we pledge our best efforts to
help them help themselves, for whatever period
is required not because we seek their votes, but
because it is right, it is safe and free.


“Now the trumpet summons us once again not
as a call to bear arms,though armed with OPV we
need not as a call to battle, though embattled we
are by those who say NO to accepting
vaccination of their children and others, to those
who promote messages of despair that the
vaccines are not safe and those who threaten
and torment the young men and women who
sacrifice their lives to keep Taraba safe and
healthy, we beg for a re birth. Taraba cannot
survive on such anti-polio vaccination
campaigns- it is a call to bear the burden of a
long struggle, year in and year out, “rejoicing in
hope; patience tribulation,”” a struggle against
the Common enemies of our children and those
unborn: disease and ignorance”, he emphasised.
Governor Darius Ishaku said he will liaise with
Taraba State House of Assembly to come up with
legislation that borders on mandatory
vaccination on all Tarabans and added that his
partnership with UNICEF in the Hard – to – Reach
project resulted in giving jobs to about 450
indigenes of the State and tasked all Local
Government Chairmen, stakeholders and
traditional rulers to give the programme the
desired support in their respective areas.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner of Health,
Dr. Innocent Vakkai appreciated the Taraba State
Governor, Darius Ishaku for his determination to
ensure that Health Care Delivery services takes
its rightful place in his administration and that he
has been consistent in the release of funds in
combatting all the killer diseases with particular
emphasis on Polio eradication.
Innocent Vakkai disclosed that the Governor
made funds available for the first round of Polio
outbreak Response which was held in August and
equally did same for the second round which
commences on September 17, and thanked
Governor Darius Ishaku for personally flagging
off the second round.


The Health Commissioner informed the
gathering that the outbreak Response is meant to
tackle resurgence of Polio in some parts of
Borno State and called on opinion, religious and
political leaders and the traditional institutions to
join hands with the State Government to fight the
Poliovirus and other killer diseases, lamenting
that there are still reported cases of rejection
particularly by the immigrants that are presently
taking refuge in the State.
In a goodwill message, the World Health
Organisation Representative, Dr. Jerry Pantuvo
said the outbreak Response is meant to stop the
spread of Polio virus which resurfaced in
Manguno, Gwoza and Jere all in Borno State,
adding that about 25 cases of Polio outbreak
were recorded, out of which 3 cases are in
Nigeria with the remaining recorded in

Afghanistan, Indonesia and Pakistan.
Dr. Pantuvo charged the State Government to
strengthen the Health Care system in the state,
have a rethink of enacting laws to curtail non
compliance and disclosed that WHO and it’s
partners committed about 95.2 million Naira for
the campaign while UNICEF contributed 20
million naira for the training of personnel and
appreciated the Taraba State Government for the
“wonderful support”.

He suggested the upward review of allowances
given to personnel, saying that the present
amount of 500 Naira per day is grossly
inadequate considering the harsh economic
realities of the country.
On the part of the Primary Health Care
Development Agency, the Executive Secretary,
Aminu Jauro Hassan appreciated the Taraba
State Governor, Darius Ishaku for the wonderful
support and assured of their readiness to work
assiduously towards the success of the
programme.

Aminu Jauro Hassan also praised the cordial
working relationship with partners and donor
agencies and solicited for more support and
harmonious interactions, calling on the
caregivers and parents to avail themselves and
their children the rare opportunity provided by
the Rescue Mission of the Governor, Darius
Dickson Ishaku and assured that, they will cover
all the 167 designated political wards of the State
within this period.
Highlights of the event was the administration of
the Polio vaccines on some children by Governor
Darius Ishaku, presentation of three vaccines
storage container to ALGON Chairman, Hon.
Stephen Ibrahim Agya, while the State cultural
troupe thrilled the gathering with drama and
dance.

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