20 hours Ago By Agency
Agency The United Nations Children’s Fund has donated over 2.5 million doses of Oral Polio Vaccines to the Bauchi State government for children in the state. UNICEF’s Chief Field Officer in Bauchi State, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, disclosed this on Thursday at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi, where the vaccines are being stored.
She stated that the vaccination exercise will take place across the state from April 24 to April 29. Rafique called on all stakeholders to ensure a massive awareness campaign before the exercise to ensure high turnout and participation. “Bauchi State is one of the critical states with 13 out of 20 local governments having zero-dose children,” she said.
“Zero-dose children are those who have never received any dose of vaccines, and that means almost 556,000 children have never been vaccinated.” Rafique revealed that the vaccination would start in the identified Local Government Areas on April 24, adding, “We are targeting every under-five child in this campaign, but particularly those 556,000 zero-dose children, who we hope will no longer be zero-dose after this exercise.” She appealed to all communities to cooperate and mobilise to attend vaccination centres or wherever the vaccination teams would assemble.
The exercise, Rafique stressed, is vital for the future of the children and the next generation. In the same vein, UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office Health Officer, Mr Patrick Akor, explained that the agency had provided pen markers to be used for finger marking vaccinated children. “We will ensure that all local government areas and teams have adequate vaccines during the exercise,” he assured.
A representative from the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Bappah Jika, confirmed the receipt of the vaccines from UNICEF and expressed gratitude for their “life-saving” support. NAN Tags #polio vaccination 556000 zero dose children Bauchi State LG Oral Polio Vaccine PHC UNICEF vaccinated children vaccination centres.
