No fewer than 68,000 children is expected to be vaccinated in Plateau against Polio, by the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Ms Nuzhat Rafique, UNICEF Bauchi Field Officer, disclosed this on Wednesday in Jos, during an advocacy visit to the Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Buba.
Rafique said that a comprehensive plan was in place to vaccinate the 68,000 children through targeted interventions in high-risk areas, including Jos North, Jos South, Shendam, and Wase, as well as five additional zero-dose districts.
She explained that the strategy would involve immediate catch-up activities before the April 26 to 30 campaigns, followed by a second round in December, adding that this was to ensure that no child was left behind.
She added that mobile vaccination teams, escorted by security personnel, would penetrate hard-to-reach and volatile areas, while traditional and religious leaders would mobilise communities to counter vaccine hesitancy.
“UNICEF is partnering with local media to dispel misinformation and setting up vaccination posts in royal palaces to build trust,” she said.
Rafique also said that there would be a weekly follow-up visits to resistant communities and the strengthening of primary health centres to sustain routine immunisation, and ensuring long-term protection beyond the campaign periods.
She said the multi-faceted approach aimed not only to close the current gap but also to fortify the health system against future lapses in coverage.
In his remarks, the Plateau Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicolas Baamlung said that the statistic of 68,000 unvaccinated children was alarming and described it as a critical public health emergency.
Baamlung said that the ministry, in partnership with the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, had already launched a catch-up immunisation drive ahead of the official April 24 campaign.
“We are mobilising traditional rulers, local government chairmen, and community leaders to penetrate previously inaccessible areas,” he said.
He noted that the visible leadership participation would help overcome vaccine hesitancy.
In the same vein, the Gbong Gwom Jos said he would immediately summon all district and village heads across Plateau to mobilise the entire traditional structure to support the polio campaign.
He gave assurance that traditional rulers in the state would personally lead by example, including public demonstrations of vaccination to overcome cultural hesitancy.
