In a renewed effort to protect children from the lingering threat of polio, Bauchi State launched an intensive vaccination campaign targeting over 196,000 under-five children in Toro Local Government Area (LGA).
Toro is among the LGAs that face resistance to the polio vaccine in the state, leading to high zero-dose kids.
Supported by UNICEF, the initiative has mobilised thousands of doses of novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV) and deployed 1,477 health workers across the area, aiming to close the gap of zero-dose children.
The zero-dose children are those who have never received a single polio vaccine.
Musa Danladi, Toro LGA Immunisation Officer, said the immunisation campaign is targeting 196,220 under-five children, distributing 241,150 doses of the nOPV.
He added that the council is one of 13 LGAs in Bauchi State battling high numbers of unvaccinated children, part of an alarming figure of 556,000 zero-dose children across the state.
Mobilising for Success
To support the campaign, UNICEF provided not just vaccines but also crucial funding for logistics, training, advocacy, and community sensitisation efforts. The 241,150 vaccine doses were distributed across all 17 wards in Toro LGA, ensuring wide coverage including hard-to-reach settlements.
Danladi noted that, compared to previous exercises hampered by insecurity and community resistance, the current campaign faced fewer obstacles courtesy of better planning and stronger partnerships with community influencers.
He admitted that despite improvements, some challenges persist, as recently 71 households refused vaccination, involving 138 children.
According to him, after interventions by community leaders, 36 households with 72 children accepted the vaccines.
Danladi revealed that 31 households with 66 children remain non-compliant, with lists forwarded to district authorities for resolution.
Danladi was optimistic that ongoing community engagement, involving groups like the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) and SALAMA, the local influencers, would resolve the remaining cases.
Nigeria was certified polio-free by the World Health Organisation in August 2020, but new outbreaks of vaccine-derived polio strains have appeared across parts of Africa, fueled by gaps in vaccination coverage.
Health experts warn that even a small group of unvaccinated children could reopen the door for a resurgence of the virus.
