csrreporters 
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on citizens, community leaders, and government authorities to join forces in eradicating zero-dose immunization among children in Borno and Yobe States, a critical step toward stopping the spread of polio and other preventable diseases in Nigeria’s northeast.
The appeal follows the conclusion of a week-long immunization campaign, which began on April 26 and wrapped up over the weekend. The initiative aimed to reach children who have never received any vaccines commonly referred to as “zero-dose” children and to boost overall vaccine coverage in high-risk areas.
UNICEF Health Officer, Bashir Elegbede, emphasized the urgency of the situation during a sensitization event in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital. “Zero-dose children are those who have never received a single vaccine in the national routine immunization schedule,” he explained. “Borno and Yobe States account for a significant portion of the estimated 2.1 million Nigerian children who have never been vaccinated against polio.”
Elegbede confirmed that the National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) will continue after the current campaign to ensure full coverage. He encouraged the public to learn about vaccines, share accurate information, and actively counter misinformation that deters vaccine uptake.
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Also speaking at the event, Yobe State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Muhammad Gana, reiterated the importance of immunization as a cost-effective public health strategy. “World Immunization Week is an opportunity to educate the public on the life-saving power of vaccines,” he said, highlighting past outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as meningitis and cholera in the state.
Gana disclosed that circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) and type 3 had recently been detected in one of Yobe’s local government areas, a sign of vulnerability due to low immunization rates. cVDPV2 emerges when the weakened virus in the oral polio vaccine mutates and spreads in under-immunized communities.
In response, Yobe State Governor has mandated a renewed statewide commitment to immunization efforts to ensure that no child is left behind. The campaign, organized by UNICEF in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Information’s Child Rights Unit, seeks to accelerate vaccine access and awareness across the region.
UNICEF continues to advocate for a united front to end the zero-dose crisis and achieve a polio-free Nigeria.
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