By Murtala Muhammad
Traditional leaders in Bauchi State will ensure consistent supervision and monitoring at vaccination points to facilitate the successful implementation of the April round of the immunisation campaign, scheduled to take place from 24 to 29 April.
The Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman, gave this assurance at his palace while receiving the Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, during a visit in preparation for the April round of the immunisation campaign.
Our correspondent reports that the campaign, targeting all children across the state aged between zero and fifty-nine months, is designed to eradicate polio in Bauchi and Nigeria as a whole.
Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman, who also serves as Chairman of the Bauchi State Emirates Councils Committee on Health (BASECCoH), stated that District Heads had been instructed to closely monitor the vaccination exercise to ensure compliance.
Earlier, the Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, highlighted Bauchi as a strategic state due to the high number of Zero Dose children—those who have never received any form of vaccination.
Dr Rafique, who expressed concern that there are approximately five hundred and fifty-six thousand Zero Dose children in Bauchi, stated that the state has two options: either vaccinate these children or endanger their lives.
She stressed that traditional and religious leaders, philanthropists, and partners play a crucial role in ensuring that children in Bauchi State receive their five fundamental rights: immunisation, education, birth registration, access to clean water, and hygiene.
Dr Nuzhat Rafique also assured that efforts would be made to conduct house-to-house visits to convince parents of the importance of vaccinating their children.
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