Bauchi marks World Polio Day with road walk and fresh push on child vaccination

Bauchi State used this year's World Polio Day to renew its push for full child vaccination, with a road walk through the state capital and calls for parents to bring their children forward.

The walk on Saturday ran from the Bauchi Emir's Palace to Government House, according to the organisers. The state government put the event together with Rotary District 9127, backed by the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office. This year's theme was "One Day, One Focus: Ending Polio for Good."

Polio is a highly infectious viral illness that can leave a child paralysed for life or kill, and children under five are most at risk. It has no cure, but it can be prevented by vaccine.

What the experts said

Dr Patrick Akor, health officer at UNICEF's Bauchi Field Office, said immunisation remains the most dependable way to shield children from the disease. He warned that outbreaks, conflict, weak health systems, missed vaccinations, false information and poor funding are all slowing the global effort.

"Until polio is eradicated everywhere, children everywhere remain at risk," Akor said.

He asked health authorities to strengthen both routine immunisation and mass campaigns, with special attention to children who have never received a single routine vaccine and to families in hard-to-reach communities. He also urged stakeholders to push back against rumours about vaccines and to back health workers trying to reach every eligible child.

Comfort Attah, president of the Rotary Club of Bauchi Central, said global polio cases have fallen by more than 99.9 per cent since the eradication drive began. She credited Rotary International's leadership and cooperation between governments, communities, health workers and development partners.

Attah, however, said the job is not finished. The virus is still circulating in some areas, she said, and that keeps children elsewhere exposed. Through its PolioPlus programme, Rotary has supported vaccination drives, disease surveillance, health workers and stronger public health systems, she added.

What happens next

Aisha Bala Mohammed, wife of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, said the day should renew the state's promise that every eligible child gets vaccinated, wherever they live and whatever their family's circumstances. She was represented at the event by Talatu Musa Gar, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Women Affairs.

The governor's wife said his administration will keep supporting health workers, improve services at primary healthcare centres and encourage parents to complete their children's vaccines on schedule. She also linked immunisation to antenatal care, safe delivery, good nutrition and breastfeeding.

She thanked the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board, traditional and religious leaders, community volunteers, women's groups and the media for helping to clear up misconceptions about vaccines. UNICEF, Rotary International and the World Health Organisation (WHO) also got her thanks for technical, financial and advocacy support.

Her message to residents was simple: government alone cannot finish the work. Parents should present their children for vaccination, communities should welcome immunisation teams, and everyone should help stop rumours about vaccines.