The Adamawa State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund, has intensified efforts to protect children’s health ahead of the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) campaign set to begin on Sunday.
At a media dialogue in Yola, the Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Sulaiman Bashir, announced that the exercise will run for four days, followed by two additional mop-up days to ensure full coverage.
He explained that the campaign is part of a wider sub-national immunisation drive across 12 states in Nigeria, “Although polio has been eliminated in this region, vigilance remains critical.” he noted.
“There are no confirmed cases of wild poliovirus, but the risk of resurgence persists, particularly due to cross-border movement and vaccine resistance in some communities,” he said
Dr Bashir noted that recent reports of mutated virus strains in parts of the world highlight the need for continuous surveillance and proactive immunisation.
He acknowledged that some communities in Adamawa have shown resistance to vaccination, largely due to migration and socio-economic challenges, but said targeted engagement with traditional leaders and local authorities has improved acceptance.
“We mapped out resistant areas and worked closely with community leaders, including district heads and council chairmen. That approach has made a significant impact,” he said.
The agency aims to vaccinate about 1.4 million children under the age of five across all 21 local government areas and 226 wards in the state.
To achieve this, 1,685 teams comprising vaccinators, recorders and community mobilisers have been deployed.
The teams will implement house-to-house visits as well as outreach programmes at worship centres and other public gathering points to maximise coverage.
He also stressed the importance of environmental sanitation in preventing the spread of poliovirus, which is transmitted through contaminated food and water, urging residents to maintain proper hygiene and ensure their children are vaccinated.
Also speaking, the UNICEF Representative, Jennifer Dabo commended the State government for its commitment to primary healthcare delivery.
“We appreciate the continued support toward healthcare programmes and call for sustained collaboration to ensure the success of this campaign and the protection of children,” she said.