UNICEF
In a major boost to Nigeria’s fight against polio, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated over 2.5 million doses of oral polio vaccines to the Bauchi State Government ahead of a statewide vaccination campaign scheduled from April 24 to April 29, 2025.
The donation was officially announced by Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, during a press briefing held on April 3, 2025, at the cold storage facility within the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, where the vaccines are being securely stored.
Rafique emphasized the urgent need for community-wide awareness, urging stakeholders to intensify sensitization efforts to ensure high turnout among parents and guardians.
“Bauchi remains a high-priority state in the polio eradication drive,” Rafique said. “Out of the 20 local government areas, 13 still record children with zero vaccine history. We estimate that there are around 556,000 children in this category. This campaign will focus strongly on reaching these vulnerable children.”
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UNICEF’s mission, she noted, is to ensure that every child under the age of five in Bauchi receives the oral polio vaccine. She called on traditional leaders, community groups, and civil society organizations to support the mobilization efforts—either by helping parents reach vaccination centers or assisting the door-to-door teams during the campaign.
“Protecting our children from preventable diseases like polio is an investment in the future of Nigeria,” Rafique stated.
Supporting this initiative, Patrick Akor, UNICEF Health Officer in the Bauchi Field Office, revealed that special pen markers have been provided to help vaccination teams identify immunized children during the campaign. He further assured the public that all local governments and field teams have been fully equipped with necessary vaccine supplies.
Bappah Jika, a representative of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, confirmed receipt of the vaccines and expressed deep appreciation to UNICEF for its “life-saving support and unwavering commitment to child health.”
This campaign forms part of ongoing national and global efforts to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization in Nigeria, particularly in underserved and high-risk communities.
