Borno, Yobe Health Boards Seek Enhanced Collaboration With Operation Hadin Kai To Combat Polio

Borno, Yobe Health Boards Seek Enhanced Collaboration With Operation Hadin Kai To Combat Polio

In a bid to bolster partnership and tackle polio in the North East region, a joint delegation from the Borno and Yobe States Primary Health Care Development Boards (PHCMB), today 9 August, 2025, paid an advocacy visit to the Theatre Command Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) in Maiduguri.

The delegation, led by the Executive Secretary of the Borno State PHCMB, Professor Muhammed Arab Alhaji, said they were at the Headquarters Theatre Command to solicit enhanced security collaboration with Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK). He noted that the partnership aims to facilitate the implementation of the polio vaccination programme in vulnerable and inaccessible areas, in line with the World Health Organization’s Reaching Inaccessible Children (RIC) initiative.

Professor Alhaji emphasised that the security support would ensure a smooth immunization process and safeguard the well-being of health workers, enabling them to carry out their duties effectively. Professor Alhaji further explained that achieving this goal would be challenging without military support, given the region’s peculiar security challenges. He expressed gratitude for the military’s significant contributions to immunizing over 432,345 children between 2016 and 2024 in inaccessible communities.

In his remarks, the Theatre Commander OPHK, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, welcomed the delegation and commended the health boards for their humanitarian efforts, despite financial constraints. He assured them of OPHK’s continued support in achieving their objectives.

During the visit, the delegation presented updates on Borno and Yobe States’ RIC efforts, engaged in interactive sessions, and exchanged ideas on forging a way forward for a common goal. The visit also featured the presentation of plaques, signing of the visitor’s book, and a group photograph.

The visit was attended by key stakeholders, including the Executive Secretary of Yobe State PHCMB, Component Commanders, staff officers from Headquarters OPHK, and members of the Borno and Yobe PHCMB.