Polio immunisation teams in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State have expressed success recorded in remote, hard-to-reach areas in the 2025 exercise.
In riverine communities along the Bauchi-Plateau border, the team recorded success with no cases of resistance from residents.
Aliyu Yakubu, the Immunisation Focal Person for Rinina West, told WikkiTimes that this year’s exercise has seen significant improvements, particularly in hard-to-reach settlements bordering Plateau State.
He explained that the 2025 polio immunisation campaign has recorded success, with enhanced coordination, improved community involvement, and cross-border collaboration.
“This year’s immunisation ran smoothly with different supervisors, field volunteers, and monitors in place,” Yakubu said. “It is going so well, especially with the introduction of Mama2Mama and other local volunteers who have given more support than ever.”
Yakubu, who oversaw the campaign on the Bauchi side of the border in Hayen Pengana in Ribina West ward, noted that his colleague managed the Plateau side in Pengana (Zabo ward).
“All 13 communities in those areas are riverine and hard-to-reach,” he explained. “But we’ve never had issues of noncompliance. The parents are cooperative, and we have not faced any resistance.”
Yakubu described the main challenge as the difficult terrain, particularly during the rainy season when rivers swell and flood paths to these settlements. “There was a time I narrowly escaped being drowned,” he told WikkiTimes.
Despite the geographical barriers, Yakubu said the exercise benefited from strong inter-state cooperation. “There is no friction between us and the Plateau State side. The relationship is cordial and mutually supportive.”
He attributed the campaign’s success to the joint efforts of stakeholders, including UNICEF, WHO, community focal persons, parents, and local volunteers. “They’ve been doing very well with UNICEF, especially, playing a key role in motivating our teams,” he said.
Umar Shuaibu Adamu, the focal person for Ribina East, confirmed similar progress, noting that ten hard-to-reach areas under his supervision showed no resistance to vaccination.
However, he pointed out that some communities on the outskirts of Ribina town recorded some noncompliance, though some were resolved through community engagement.
WikkiTimes had earlier reported that Bauchi State, with support from UNICEF, launched an intensive vaccination campaign targeting over 196,000 under-five children in Toro LGA to curb the persistent threat of polio.
The area has historically battled high rates of zero-dose children and resistance to vaccination.
Health workers say noncompliance is still present in a few locations, but it has drastically reduced compared to previous years.
