UNICEF Urges Katsina Religious Leaders to Champion Child Health, Vaccination, Education
Kola Oyelere Kano
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged religious leaders in Katsina State to use their influence and religious platforms to promote child health, routine vaccination, nutrition, education and child protection.
The call was made at a “Faith for Life” engagement meeting with Muslim and Christian religious leaders drawn from the 34 Local Government Areas of the state, held in Katsina.
Speaking at the meeting, UNICEF Social and Behavioural Change Specialist, Kano Field Office, Dr Ogu Enemaku, said the Faith for Life initiative was designed to use teachings from the Qur’an and the Bible to strengthen advocacy on issues affecting children and families.
He explained that the initiative draws relevant scriptural messages on health, nutrition, child protection and education to encourage communities to adopt behaviours that promote child survival and development.
Enemaku urged the religious leaders to obtain and study the Faith for Life materials and incorporate the messages into sermons, teachings and community engagements.
He stressed that religious leaders had a significant role to play in helping families make informed decisions on healthcare and other issues affecting the wellbeing of women and children.
In a goodwill message, Deputy Director, Community Outreach and Development, National Orientation Agency, Abuja, Amaka Aninta, described the engagement as a platform for commitment and ownership rather than an ordinary meeting.
She urged the religious leaders to encourage their followers to vaccinate their children, attend antenatal care and address malnutrition and other challenges affecting mothers and children.
Aninta also encouraged them to use Friday prayers, Islamic schools and church services to sensitise communities on family welfare, child protection and responsible parenting.
She questioned why children should die from preventable diseases because they were not vaccinated, or why pregnant women should lose their lives for failing to attend antenatal care or suffering from malnutrition when religious teachings support the protection and wellbeing of mothers and children.
Earlier, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Agency, Dr Shema’u Kabir, described religious leaders as “special guides and advocates,” noting that they were critical partners in driving positive change in their communities.
Kabir said government could not address the challenges confronting primary healthcare alone, stressing the need for respected community voices to support efforts aimed at improving maternal and child health and nutrition outcomes.
She maintained that the influence of religious leaders could help families make informed decisions about the wellbeing of women and children.
The acting executive secretary commended the religious leaders for their continued partnership with government and urged them to sustain their support for initiatives aimed at improving healthcare delivery across the state.
The meeting brought together imams, pastors and other religious leaders from the 34 LGAs, with participants expected to take the Faith for Life messages back to their respective communities.
The engagement is aimed at strengthening community ownership of child-focused interventions and promoting positive behaviours to improve the survival, health and development of children in Katsina State.