UNICEF vaccinates 330 children in Gombe IDP camp

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Gombe State Government, has vaccinated no fewer than 333 displaced children sheltering in a camp in the state.

The children alongside their parents were displaced from their communities in Alkaleri Local Government Area, Bauchi State, following attacks by bandits on their villages.

The victims are currently staying in a camp located in Kashere town of Akko Local Government Area, Gombe State.

The Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Abdulrahman Shuaibu, while speaking during the visit of UNICEF team to the camp on Friday said health interventions were ongoing to support displaced families.

Shuaibu said that children’s health remained a priority, with several zero-dose children already vaccinated.

He said that about 300 children had received routine immunisation as of Thursday, adding that 33 children previously classified as zero-dose had also been vaccinated.

He further said girls that are nine years old were receiving human papilloma virus vaccines.

“What we have done in the health section is to ensure we conduct reactive vaccination amongst children.

“We have a lot of children that are zero-dose, meaning they are children that have never received any form of vaccines, we have started immunising them.

“We have other children that are less than five that are receiving routine immunisation.

“We have our outreach team that come here at least three times a week to vaccinate children and we have surveillance officers amongst the IDPs that also refer clients from the IDPs to our nearby facilities for treatment,” he said.

According to him, two children had died in the camp while two babies had been delivered since the displaced families arrived.

The state government, he said, was working with UNICEF to provide therapeutic food for malnourished children.

On her part, Chief of the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Nuzhat Rafique, said her team visited the camp to support the displaced persons with 600 dignity and WASH kits to improve hygiene and sanitation at the camp.

Dr Rafique said that the intervention aimed to prevent disease outbreaks and improve conditions in the camp.

She expressed concern over poor sanitation and stressed the need to strengthen hygiene practices to safeguard the health of women and children.

“UNICEF is here especially to support immunisation and health services for pregnant and lactating mothers, including deliveries at a nearby facility where services are available.

“Today we distributed hygiene and dignity kits because sanitation is very poor here and hygiene must improve to prevent cholera and other diseases.”

On immunisation, Rafique said vaccination had also begun for many children who had not previously received routine immunisation.

She explained that several zero-dose children at the camp were now being covered under the immunisation programme.

According to her, children who had never attended school were also being supported through plans to establish temporary learning facilities.

“So we will establish a safe learning space so these children can begin learning and continue when they return to their communities,” she said.

Rafique commended the governments of Gombe and Bauchi states for supporting displaced persons.

She also praised the host community for helping to manage the camp and maintain order among residents.

UNICEF vaccinates 330 children in Gombe IDP camp

India Strengthens Youth Ties with Nigeria Through Essay Competition Awards

By: Michael Mike

The High Commission of India in Nigeria has honoured Nigerian winners of an essay competition organised under its newly introduced “Youth Junction” initiative, a programme designed to deepen youth engagement and strengthen people-to-people relations between India and Nigeria.

The prize distribution ceremony which took place at the High Commission in Abuja, drew participation from Nigerian and Indian youths who gathered to celebrate academic excellence, creativity and the growing partnership between the two nations.

Speaking at the event, India’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Abhishek Singh, said the Youth Junction initiative was created to provide a dynamic platform for young people in both countries to interact, share ideas and explore collaborative opportunities.

He explained that the programme seeks to inspire creativity, learning and innovation among youth while also promoting cultural understanding and strengthening the longstanding diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

Singh noted that young people remain central to the future of bilateral cooperation, stressing that platforms such as Youth Junction would encourage meaningful exchanges and partnerships in areas of shared interest.

The essay competition, which formed part of the initiative, was launched on February 6, 2026 with the theme “Strength of India–Nigeria Bilateral Relationship.” The contest invited Nigerian students to reflect on the evolving partnership between the two countries and highlight opportunities for deeper cooperation.

A representative of Nigeria’s Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended the initiative, describing it as an important platform for strengthening bilateral relations through youth-driven engagement.

The representative noted that by bringing young Nigerians and Indians together, the initiative would encourage collaboration in areas such as technology, entrepreneurship, cultural exchange and digital skills development.

Participants at the event expressed optimism that sustained youth-focused programmes would open new avenues for cooperation and mutual understanding between both countries.

The High Commission congratulated the award recipients and reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the Youth Junction initiative as part of broader efforts to deepen the enduring partnership between India and Nigeria.

India Strengthens Youth Ties with Nigeria Through Essay Competition Awards

Journalists Health Insurance Gets A Boost with Hundreds Enrolled in Abuja

By: Michael Mike

A major push to improve the welfare of journalists gathered momentum in Nigeria’s capital as media leaders and government officials called on philanthropists and public office holders to sponsor health insurance for reporters.

The call came as more than 150 journalists were enrolled in the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme during the launch of a healthcare initiative by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council in Abuja.

The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, used the occasion to urge philanthropists, political leaders, business executives and religious institutions to support journalists by purchasing health insurance coverage for them.

According to her, journalists play a critical role in society by amplifying the voices of citizens and holding institutions accountable, yet many remain without access to basic healthcare protection.

“My purpose of coming here today is to ask political office holders, religious leaders and individuals who want their voices to be heard to buy health insurance for a journalist,” she said.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Grace Ike, is aimed at addressing the long-standing welfare concerns of journalists working in the Federal Capital Territory.

Ike described the launch as a historic turning point for the union, noting that it represents the first structured health insurance programme specifically targeted at journalists in the territory.

“Journalists dedicate their lives to informing the public and shaping national conversations, yet their welfare is often overlooked,” she said. “This initiative is about protecting those who work tirelessly to keep society informed.”

She commended the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Information, Akin Rotimi Jr., for supporting the programme and helping initiate the insurance coverage.

She also praised Fasawe for providing 150 free health insurance slots for NUJ members and acknowledged the support of the Permanent Secretary in the FCT Health Secretariat, Babagana Adam, who pledged to sponsor 50 additional journalists in memory of his late brother.

With these contributions, Ike disclosed that about 200 journalists in the FCT have already secured health insurance coverage under the scheme.

Fasawe further announced an additional 50 insurance slots during the event, pushing the coverage to about 65 per cent of NUJ members in the territory. She revealed that about 480 out of the estimated 800 journalists operating in the FCT are now captured under the health insurance programme.

The health official stressed that expanding insurance coverage aligns with the healthcare reforms being pursued by the FCT Administration under the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

She noted that the administration has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward maternal mortality and has expanded access to free antenatal care and delivery services for vulnerable pregnant women across primary healthcare centres in the FCT.

Also speaking, the National President of the NUJ, Alhassan Yahya, said the initiative was a critical intervention given the extremely low health insurance coverage among journalists nationwide.

He revealed that studies show less than one per cent of Nigerian journalists currently have any form of health insurance, leaving many vulnerable to high out-of-pocket medical expenses.

The programme, unveiled during the NUJ FCT Congress attended by more than 450 members, was widely welcomed by journalists who described it as a long-awaited step toward improving the welfare and security of media professionals in the nation’s capital.

Stakeholders at the event expressed optimism that sustained support from government agencies, private organisations and philanthropists would help extend health insurance coverage to all journalists in the Federal Capital Territory.

Journalists Health Insurance Gets A Boost with Hundreds Enrolled in Abuja