From Khalid Idris Doya, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has intensified an immunisation campaign targeting 127,550 children in Toro Local Government Area of the state, aimed at protecting children from polio, reducing child mortality, and improving overall child health.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, the Local Immunisation Officer (LIO) for Toro LGA, Musa Danladi, said the campaign is designed to curb polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases through sustained community engagement and service delivery.
Danladi explained that, through collaboration with UNICEF, the Bauchi State Government, and the World Health Organization (WHO), 32 ward focal persons and field volunteers have been trained to carry out the exercise across the LGA.
According to him, the campaign commenced in Tilde Ward, an area previously identified for low vaccine compliance.
“Our teams go from house to house administering Novel Oral Polio Vaccine (NOPV) to ensure that all eligible children aged 0 to 59 months are immunised. We also operate fixed posts in all 17 wards for children aged 0 to 23 months, where vaccines such as NOPV, BCG, Hepatitis B, IPV, and PCV are administered,” he said.
Danladi noted that vaccine compliance in Toro LGA has reached over 90 percent, attributing the success to the support of the LGA chairman, traditional leaders, and other stakeholders.
“UNICEF supports community leaders, mobilisers, and town announcers, and also provides all the vaccines. Without these partnerships, vaccinating 127,550 children would not have been possible,” he added.
He urged parents to continue participating actively in immunisation programmes to ensure Toro LGA becomes free from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Also speaking, a consultant at Magama Primary Healthcare Centre, Ahmed Yau Suleiman, said parental participation has been encouraging.
“We have not faced much resistance. Through programmes such as ‘Father for Good Health,’ we educate families from house to house, and parents are now willingly bringing their children for vaccination,” he said.
One of the parents, Ibrahim Haruna from Giljauli village in Toro LGA, underscored the importance of vaccination in safeguarding children’s health, admitting that his earlier reluctance resulted in serious health challenges.
“I did not take my first four children for vaccination, and they suffered several medical complications. But now, all six of my children are vaccinated, and I have saved myself a lot of suffering and medical expenses,” he said, urging other parents to vaccinate their children.
Similarly, Jamila Hussaini of Magama Gumau said vaccination has significantly improved the health of her children, adding that she now enjoys full support from her husband.
“At first, he was hesitant, but after health officials explained the benefits, he fully supported the decision,” she said.
In her remarks, UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Bauchi, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, disclosed that UNICEF has reached over 1.7 million children across Bauchi State through various immunisation interventions.
She described immunisation as a critical strategy for saving lives, keeping children healthy, and enabling them to reach their full potential, noting that UNICEF has successfully reached children in the most remote and underserved communities.
Meanwhile, the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, acknowledged that some cases of vaccine rejection still exist, largely due to misconceptions.
“This is the third vaccination exercise this year. Some people believe repeated campaigns may overdose their children, but this is a misconception. We continue to educate communities to address these concerns,” he said.
Also speaking, the Toro Health Educator, Usman Muhammad Lame, said the collaboration among UNICEF, the Bauchi State Government, WHO, traditional leaders, and parents reflects a strong commitment to protecting children, reducing child mortality, and eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases in Toro LGA.
