The Bauchi government with the support of UNICEF and other partners have flagged off the 2025 polio Immunization Campaign in the state.
Speaking during the flagging off at Tirwun community in Bauchi metropolis, the State Executive Chairman, Primary Healthcare Development Agency,Dr Rilwanu Muhammad, said the campaign is aimed to vaccinate all under five children in the state.
The Executive chairman explained that special attention would be given to zero-dose children, which are those children who have not received any vaccination before.
According to him, Bauchi state received a total of 2.5 million doses of Novel Oral Polio vaccine(NOPV) for the exercise, saying that the state engaged the services of 160 monitors, including CSOs that will ensure the smooth success of the polio vaccination exercise.
He said that the state’s Commissioner for Health, Emir of Dass, himself as well as the UNICEF’s Chief of Bauchi Field Office would be on special monitoring exercise in three LGAs of Ganjuwa, Bauchi and Ningi where there were zero dose of polio immunisation to ensure absolute compliance.
Muhammad emphasised that”We are moving with the security, the DSS, the police with armoured vehicles to ensure compliance, adding that “We are not doing this exercise like how we used to do it before where we will be begging and pleading.
““This campaign will not be conducted as it was in the past, where we had to beg and plead. This time, it is compulsory. All children must be vaccinated, and anyone who refuses to cooperate will be arrested”.
We are moving with security personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police, equipped with armoured vehicles, to ensure adequate security and cooperation.
Muhammad commended UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the state government for their substantial efforts and counterpart funding to support the campaign and broader social mobilisation.
“We are concerned about non-compliance in some areas because we do not want to miss a single child. Even in insecure areas, we will deploy security to ensure that every child is reached”.
Also speaking at the event, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the state in its efforts to ensure every child is immunized.
Represented by Mr Eki George, UNICEF’s Head of Social Behaviour Change, Rafique noted that more development partners were involved in this year’s campaign to guarantee total compliance.
“As part of our preparations, we supported the state to ensure the smooth rollout of this campaign, particularly here in Bauchi, which is our focus,” she said. “We are working closely with the government to reach every parent, regardless of location, to ensure every eligible child is vaccinated.”
In his vote of thanks, the District Head of Tirwun, Alhaji Muhammad Tirwun, commended UNICEF and its partners for their support.
He also urged traditional rulers to take an active role in monitoring the campaign to ensure full participation and compliance across communities. End.
