The ongoing Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) campaign in Mashi Local Government Area of Katsina State has recorded a major milestone, with no fewer than 36,479 women already immunized against tetanus just three days into the exercise.

Officials overseeing the campaign say the strong turnout reflects growing public confidence in the life-saving intervention and could push the programme closer to surpassing previous achievements.

Speaking while monitoring the exercise, the campaign coordinator in Mashi LGA, Tukur Sani, revealed that the immunization drive is targeting 65,680 women between the ages of 15 and 49 across the local government area.

According to him, the 36,479 women vaccinated so far represent about 56 per cent of the overall target population, a figure he described as encouraging.

Sani expressed confidence that the campaign would achieve results similar to, or even better than, the previous round, which recorded nearly 80 per cent coverage of the target population.

He credited the impressive participation to extensive grassroots mobilization carried out ahead of the exercise.

To avoid the low turnout that affected earlier campaigns, he said health officials engaged communities through awareness campaigns, town hall meetings, community dialogues and sensitization sessions designed to educate residents on the importance of vaccination.

“We organized several awareness activities, including community dialogues, meetings and town hall sessions to address the challenge of late turnout experienced during previous campaigns,” Sani said.

He explained that the tetanus vaccine plays a critical role in protecting women, especially during pregnancy and childbirth, from tetanus infection and related complications that often contribute to maternal and neonatal deaths.

The coordinator also called on residents to support health interventions and avoid spreading misinformation capable of undermining public health programmes.

According to him, development partners and donors investing resources in the campaign deserve appreciation for helping to improve the health and survival chances of women and children.

“We should support healthcare interventions that benefit women and children rather than make unfounded assertions that could discourage people from accessing these services,” he added.

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At the Mashi Comprehensive Health Care Centre, the Officer in Charge of Antenatal Care, Amina Umar, said the facility has been handling more than 200 women daily since the immunization exercise began.

She noted that many beneficiaries had already received their vaccines before journalists arrived at the centre, a development she said underscores the growing acceptance of the programme.

“You can see the number of women here now. If you had come earlier, you would have seen many more because a lot of them have already received their vaccines,” Umar said.

She disclosed that women from several communities, including Gara, Doka, Bunuma, Kasagi and Galle, have been trooping to the facility to participate in the exercise.

Umar commended the beneficiaries for their commitment to completing the vaccination schedule, stressing that full protection requires five doses administered over a period of time.

“This is the second dose we are administering. The first dose was given four weeks ago. After this, they will receive another dose in six months, followed by one dose after one year and a final dose one year later, making a total of five doses for complete protection against tetanus,” she explained.

One of the beneficiaries, Zainab Yahaya, praised UNICEF and other supporting partners for making the vaccination programme available to women in the area.

Although she experienced mild side effects after receiving her second dose, Yahaya said the benefits of the vaccine far outweigh any temporary discomfort.

She urged other eligible women to take advantage of the free immunization programme, describing it as a vital step toward protecting mothers and newborns from preventable diseases.

Health officials believe the continued rise in participation will significantly strengthen efforts to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in the area and improve the overall wellbeing of women and children across Mashi and surrounding communities.