……. places emphasis in reaching all eligible children
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
All is now set for the commencement of the April 2025 Immunization Plus Days in Bauchi State.
The State Primary Health Care Development Board (BSPHCDB), with support from implementing partners (IPs) that include; UNICEF, WHO, AFENET, Nigeria Health Watch, GATEs/Chigari Foundations, CSOs and Community Resource Groups (CRGs) on Friday 25th April 2025, officially flagged off the IPDs House to House immunization, campaign which is commencing on Saturday 26th April 2025 and last for Four Days period.
Speaking at the flag off ceremony held at Madina Quarters in Bauchi Local Government Area, the Executive Chairman of the BSPHCDB, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed said that the April Immunization Campaign is witnessing huge support of the State Government and Implementing Partners as a result of the worrisome cases of Zero Dose in 13 LGAs of Bauchi State.
Dr. Mohammed said that the Board, with the support of partners, the traditional institutions, community resource groups and security operatives have resolved to visit all the nooks and crannies of the State in the next Four Days to ensure that no child is missed during the campaign.
He thanked the partners for their concern and support towards eliminating Zero Dose among children in the State which he described as heartwarming.
In a message during the flag off ceremony, WHO Coordinator in Bauchi State, Dr. Sa’id Mahmud appealed to caregivers, especially fathers to give permission to their spouses to allow vaccination teams to immunize their children. He stressed that immunizing children should go beyond the campaign days.
Also speaking, representative of AFENET in the State, Dr. Ismailia Habila said that as long as one child is not immunized, all other children are at risk of being afflicted with vaccine preventable diseases. He wondered how some caregivers take their pets for vaccinations and then become hesitant when it comes to their children.
In an interview with news men shortly after the ceremony, UNICEF representative, George Eke said that, the Bauchi Field office of UNICEF (FOB) intends to support Bauchi State in its resolve to reach every child during the Immunization Campaign.
Eke stated that one of the many areas UNICEF FOB is supporting the State during the campaign will be community mobilization through deployment of community resource groups to mobilize caregivers to accept the vaccine and also resolve all non compliance challenges that may arise during the IPDs campaign.
According to Eke, the community resource groups are: the VCMs, Mama2Mama, Fathers for Good Health and some volunteers that will also be out to resolve cases of non compliances in the communities.
Our Correspondent also reports that since last month, UNICEF, under the leadership of Bauchi Chief of Field office Dr. Nuzhat Rafique and her team, have been going round soliciting the support of high level traditional institutions, community /religious leaders and other key non State actors towards the success of the April IPDs campaign aimed at reaching all eligible children in Bauchi State.