From Khalid Idris Doya, Bauchi
Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has launched a six-day vaccination campaign targeting 225,050 children against Polio and other childhood diseases.
The exercise also includes the distribution of Azithromycin to children aged 1 to 59 months, aimed at reducing child mortality and improving overall child health in the area.
Speaking during the flag-off of the Supplementary Immunisation Plus Days (SIPDs) on Sunday at Lame Magama Gumau Primary Health Care Centre, the Local Immunisation Officer (LIO) of Toro LGA, Mr. Musa Danladi, said the polio vaccination targets children aged zero to 59 months.
He noted that the exercise has recorded early successes, particularly with the deployment of digital tools for monitoring and reporting.
“All our teams in Toro LGA have successfully uploaded and are using applications that support their work, including the Finite App for electronic data collection and the e-Tally system. These tools have enhanced real-time reporting and monitoring,” he said.
Danladi added that all 17 wards in the LGA have been fully covered, with teams mobilised to the field.
He commended the Executive Chairman of the LGA, Pharm. Ibrahim Abubakar Dembo, for providing logistical and administrative support from the pre-implementation stage to the flag-off.
According to him, the State Primary Health Care Development Board, with the support of its chairman Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed ensured adequate supply of vaccines, auto-disable syringes, cotton wool, and Ziploc boxes among others materials.
He also praised development partners, including E-Health Africa, WHO, UNICEF, and the CDC, for their contributions.
“E-Health Africa, in particular, provided real-time technical support for digital tools, ensuring that any application-related issues encountered by field teams were promptly resolved,” he added.
Danladi explained that the current exercise falls under Supplementary Immunisation Plus Days (SIPDs), which differs from the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs).
“Unlike NIPDs conducted nationwide, SIPDs target selected states affected by circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV), which is why only specific areas are participating in this round,” he said.
He further explained that the campaign has introduced a new integrated strategy combining polio vaccination with the distribution of Azithromycin.
“Previously, teams only administered oral polio vaccines to children aged 0-59 months. Now, we have integrated Azithromycin distribution. Each household visit involves two teams, one for polio vaccination and another for Azithromycin,” he explained.
He noted that while the approach improves healthcare delivery, it has increased the time spent per household. “What used to take about four to five minutes per household now takes up to 10 minutes. It is more time-consuming, but necessary for better health outcomes,” he said.
He stated that the polio vaccination will run for four days, followed by a two-day mop-up if necessary, while Azithromycin distribution will last five days with a possible one-day extension.
Danladi assured that adequate doses have been supplied to meet the target of 225,050 eligible children.
He explained that polio teams consist of three members, a vaccinator, a recorder, and a team lead, while Azithromycin teams comprise two members, with community leaders supporting efforts to address non-compliance.
He urged parents to ensure their children are vaccinated to protect them from preventable diseases.
Also speaking, the District Head of Toro, Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Ahmad, emphasised the importance of vaccination in safeguarding children’s health.
Represented by Alhaji Bashir Ibrahim, he assured the commitment of traditional leaders to support the success of the exercise and called on parents to participate fully.
