UNICEF, Adamawa LG partner to boost immunisation, hygiene awareness

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State have strengthened their partnership to enhance access to immunisation and promote hygiene practices through community-based approaches.

The renewed collaboration was highlighted by the official launch of the “Fathers for Good Health” initiative in Ganye.

Speaking at the event, Farouq Mohammed, the Chairman of Ganye LGA, on Tuesday described health as a vital sector requiring active community participation. He assured both UNICEF and residents of the council’s unwavering support for the programme.

“As a government, we fully support the Fathers for Good Health initiative inaugurated today. We are committed to ensuring its success and improving the health status of our people,” Mohammed said.

He reaffirmed the council’s commitment to sustaining immunisation drives, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programmes, and maternal health campaigns.

Commending UNICEF’s long-standing support, Mohammed said its WASH programme had already started yielding positive results in the area.

“Thanks to workshops, seminars, and awareness campaigns, we are seeing behavioural changes. Open defecation is reducing, toilets are being built, and boreholes are being installed across communities. We truly appreciate UNICEF’s contributions,” he added.

Also speaking at the event, George Eki, Social and Behavioural Change Specialist at UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, said the new initiative aims to strengthen community participation in health interventions.

Eki explained that while previous outreach efforts had focused mainly on women, research revealed that paternal resistance was often a major barrier to child immunisation.

“This led to the development of Fathers for Good Health, which started in Bauchi and has now expanded to Plateau, Borno, and Adamawa states,” Eki said.
“We’re involving fathers directly, as key decision-makers in homes, to ensure they take ownership of their children’s health.”

He praised the local government’s active involvement, describing it as a demonstration of government ownership and commitment to long-term sustainability.

Eki expressed optimism that the initiative would improve vaccination coverage, reduce disease outbreaks, and enhance household hygiene in Ganye.

In his remarks, Jared Gangso, Executive Secretary, Ganye Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said 100 men had been selected for the initiative, with 10 assigned to each ward in the LGA.

“They will go door-to-door mobilising families, encouraging child vaccinations, and promoting hygiene practices to curb outbreaks such as measles and cholera,” he said.

Gangso also noted that Ganye has one of the highest rates of maternal deaths in Nigeria. He said the selected fathers would help register pregnant women and link them with healthcare centres to access antenatal care.

“With their support, we’re confident that we can tackle more than 50 per cent of the preventable diseases in the area. I believe that within a year, the health situation in Ganye will improve significantly,” he said.