By Femi Bolaji

Jalingo — Over 450 Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) in Taraba State have gone 10 months without pay, raising fears that neighbouring states could poach them and undermine progress in grassroots immunisation and vaccination campaigns.

Speaking at the State Task Force quarterly review meeting in Jalingo, Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (TSPHCDA), Dr. Tukura Nyigwa, warned that the state’s failure to release counterpart funds for health interventions could soon cripple programmes, especially as development partners have been bridging the gap with limited resources.

Nyigwa noted that under a memorandum of understanding with GAVI/UNICEF, the state government had agreed to absorb the CHEWs into the civil service once donor funding ended. However, since October 2024, the workers have not received their ₦40,000 monthly stipends, and their integration remains pending.

He appealed to Governor Agbu Kefas to intervene, stressing that “human resources are key” to sustaining gains such as the upgrade of 113 primary healthcare facilities from Level 1 to 2.

Nyigwa also called for timely funding of the upcoming Measles-Rubella campaign, targeting children aged 9 months to 14 years.

UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office representative, Dr. Jimoh Mohammed, emphasised the need to strengthen the health workforce and pledged continued technical support to the state.