The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised alarm over the high rate of unvaccinated children in Bauchi State.
Chief of Field Office (CFO) for UNICEF in Bauchi, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique raised the concern during the handover of 2.5 million doses of polio vaccines to the state government ahead of the 2025 polio vaccination campaign.
The medical expert disclosed that 556,000 children in 13 local government areas (LGAs) have never received any vaccines, putting their survival at risk.
Speaking at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi on Thursday, Rafique emphasized the urgency of the upcoming 2025 polio campaign, stating that the campaign will commence in the 13 Zero Dose LGAs on April 24th, followed by a state-wide rollout from April 26th to 29th.
Dr. Rafique described the campaign as a critical opportunity for Nigeria and Bauchi State to contribute to the eradication of polio.
She urged all communities to support the campaign in order to address the challenge.
“We have mapped out the affected LGAs, and I urge everyone to spread the message. Let all communities in Bauchi State be aware that this is the month for the polio campaign,” the medical expert noted.
While highlighting UNICEF’s partnership with the Primary Healthcare Development Board and the Bauchi State First Lady to ensure the campaign’s success, Rafique called on parents and guardians to cooperate with health teams and ensure their children are vaccinated.
