Gombe and Bauchi state governments in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday flagged off polio vaccination campaign in the state.
The deputy governor, Manasseh Jatau, flagged off the campaign in Kuri, Yamaltu-Deba local government area of the state.
He said the state in collaboration with development partners was launching three critical public health campaigns; National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs), African Vaccination Week (AVW), and World Malaria Day (WMD) to combat polio, malaria and other preventable diseases that affect children resulting to death or disability.
The deputy governor who is also the chairman of the state task force on immunisation highlighted the importance of the simultaneous campaigns, noting the unique opportunity they present for a collective efforts in protecting children and vulnerable populations.
In his remarks, the representative of UNICEF Bauchi field office in charge of Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Adamawa and Taraba States, Oluseyi Olosede, said due to concerted efforts, Nigeria does not have wild polio virus again but that there is a circulating one.
Speaking during the launch in Madina Quarters Tirwun community, Bauchi local government area on Friday, the executive chairman of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, disclosed that the state received 2.5 million doses of the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV) for the exercise.
He added 160 monitors, including representatives from civil society organisations, had been deployed to oversee the vaccination process.
Dr. Mohammed emphasised that enforcement would be stricter this year to ensure full compliance, adding, “This time, we’re moving with security personnel including DSS, police, and armored vehicles. Vaccination is compulsory, anyone refusing to cooperate will face arrest.”
