……calls on state government to intensify routine immunization
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
Amidst fanfare and pageantry, Rotary Club International, Bauchi Central have marked this year’s World Polio Day on Monday 24th October 2022, with a call on Bauchi State Government to intensify efforts on routine immunization for all eligible children.
As part of activities marking the day, club members, rotractors, polio survivors victims and friends of rotary took to the streets of Bauchi metropolis, with their banners, in a bid to recreate more awareness on the need to sustain immunization and to maintain the current polio free status in Bauchi State and the country at large.
The procession, which started from the Bauchi Emir’s Palace, went through the major streets of Nassarawa Jahun, CBN round about, Murtala Mohammed way and terminated at the State ministry of health.
Receiving the Rotary train at the ministry, the state commissioner of Health Dr. Sabiu Gwalabe thanked Rotary Club of Bauchi Central for commemorating the day.
He said Bauchi State Government is doing everything humanly possible to maintain the polio free status in the state.
Dr. Gwalabe said that Bauchi State has not recorded any type of Wild Polio Virus since September 2013, stressing that the state has consistently been achieving the Core Surveillance indicators since 2012 and Oral Polio Virus type Three Vaccination (OPV3) has been optimal.
He also disclosed that the state has been achieving the 95 bench mark in all conducted supplementary immunization plus Day which, according to him, are very important indicators in maintaining the Polio Free status.
Also speaking , the Club President , Rotarian Chukwunonso Nwobi, said the sensitisation was to make the people of the state embrace the vaccination against the dreaded disease.
Rotarian Nwobi said that the condition of polio survivors is something that could have been prevented.
Nwobi then called on members of the public to also join the club, saying that “humanitarian service is what Rotary is all about “.
In his remarks, the state Polio Representative, Rotary Club International, Bauchi Central, Rotarian Dauda Pam Sho pleaded with the state Ministry of Health to continue prioritizing immunisation which he said was the most important measure to keep the children safe at all situations.
Responding on behalf of polio survivors in the state, their chairman Abdullahi Adamu called on the general public to pay more attention to immunization and also allow their children and wards to be immunize as at when due. He said polio has no cure, pointing out that that it either kills or cripple one for life.
Our correspondent reports that World Polio Day is commemorated every 24th of October globally.