Nasarawa State Traditional Council of Chiefs has expressed readiness to support the State Government and Chigari Foundations on the routine immunisation (RI) programme in the fight against vaccine-preventable diseases in the state. The Emir of Lafia and Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chief HRH Hon. Justice Side Bage Rtd stated this Wednesday while delivering a goodwill message to the participants of a 1-day review meeting with the Emirate Council Committee on Health (ECCoH) organised by the Chigari Foundation in collaboration with the Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NAPHDA). The review meeting was aimed at strengthening community participation and ownership of routine immunisation (RI) and primary health care (PHC) services in the state. The emir, who spoke through Pakachin Lafia and District Head of Lafia North Alh. Abubakar Musa, said their doors are open to every organisation or individual who is willing to assist in ensuring the well-being of the society.Addressing the participants, the Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NAPHDA), Dr. Usman Iskilu Saleh, welcomed the ECCoH members who attended the end-of-year review meeting and appreciated them for the untiring support to the agency whenever they were approached. Dr. Iskilu, while commending Chigari Foundations and Sultan Foundation for acknowledging and rewarding ECCoH members who excel in their community engagements to keep on with the hard work, also thanked them for all the support leading to the success of RI in their various communities in the state.Also speaking during the meeting was Mr. Ndalima Mohammad Banki, State Programme Officer, Chigari Foundation, who lauded the state government efforts through NAPHDA to strengthen community engagements, which leads the community to accept RI exercises, encouraging them to sustain the tempo in order to eradicate all vaccine-preventable diseases. He said that Chigari Foundation is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded by Professor Ali Pate, the current Minister of Health and Social Welfare, with the aim of providing world-class leadership in engaging community institutions to implement actions for the positive transformation of life and society, stating that the essence of the review meeting was to appreciate, recognise, and reward the role of ECCoH members during routine immunisation in the State. Also commenting during the review, Dr. Mustapha Sa’id, who represented the World Health Organisation (WHO), scored Nasarawa State above average in terms of vaccination and compliance, which he said led to recording zero cases of poliomyelitis in the state, encouraging ECCoH members to sustain their usual cooperation. Dr. Sa’id lauded NAPHDA, Chigari Foundation, and Sultan Foundations for organizing the roundtable discussion to uphold the partnership.While underscoring the imperative of traditional institutions for the success of any government policy, Mr. Allanana Attah, a social behavioural change communication expert and retired permanent secretary in the state, said traditional institutions were very critical in social mobilisation on RI. The meeting was climaxed with the presentation of awards to outstanding ECCoH members given by Chigari and the Sultan Foundation, which the ES presented on their behalf. The award winners were: Maianguwa Ahmed Jibrin from Awe won the first award, while Ahmad Abdul from Toto and Musa Sharu Hudu from Lafia won the second and third awards, respectively.