By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
The Bauchi State Government, UNICEF and Rotary International have called for intensified polio vaccination and community awareness to protect children from the debilitating effects of the disease.
The call was made during the 2026 World Polio Day commemoration held at Government House, Bauchi, where the wife of the state governor, Hajia Aisha Bala Mohammed, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Women Affairs and Child Development, Hajia Talatu Musa, urged parents and caregivers to ensure that all eligible children receive recommended vaccines.
She also honoured polio survivors, stressing the need to protect their rights, promote inclusion and ensure equal opportunities for persons living with disabilities.
Speaking at the event, Patrick Akor, Health Officer at the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, described polio as a highly infectious viral disease capable of causing permanent paralysis or death, particularly among children under five.
He said vaccination remained a safe and effective means of preventing the disease, warning that outbreaks, misinformation, weak health systems and gaps in immunisation could undermine progress towards eradication.
Akor called for stronger routine immunisation and vaccination campaigns, particularly in underserved communities and among children who had not received any routine vaccines.
He also commended frontline health workers, vaccinators, volunteers and community mobilisers for their efforts in reaching vulnerable populations.
Similarly, the President of Rotary Club Bauchi Central, District 9127, Ambassador Comfort Attah, said global polio cases had declined by more than 99.9 per cent since the eradication initiative began, attributing the progress to sustained collaboration among governments, communities and development partners.
She urged stakeholders to strengthen immunisation, disease surveillance and public awareness while confronting vaccine misinformation.
The commemoration, organised by the Bauchi State Government in collaboration with Rotary District 9127, with support from UNICEF, featured a road walk from the Emir’s Palace to Government House, Bauchi. Participants included representatives of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board, Ministry of Health, World Health Organization, Rotarians, Rotaractors, polio survivors, development partners and media practitioners.