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

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

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

Polio na highly infectious viral illness wey fit leave pikin paralysed for life or kill, and children under five dey most at risk. E no get cure, but vaccine fit prevent am.

Wetin experts talk

Dr Patrick Akor, health officer at UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, talk say immunisation remain the most dependable way to shield children from the disease. He warn say outbreaks, conflict, weak health systems, missed vaccinations, false information and poor funding dey slow the global effort.

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

He ask health authorities to strengthen both routine immunisation and mass campaigns, with special attention to children wey never receive single routine vaccine and to families in hard-to-reach communities. He also urge stakeholders to push back against rumours about vaccines and to back health workers wey dey try reach every eligible child.

Comfort Attah, president of Rotary Club of Bauchi Central, talk say global polio cases don fall by more than 99.9 per cent since eradication drive start. She credit Rotary International leadership and cooperation between governments, communities, health workers and development partners.

Attah, however, talk say the job never finish. The virus still dey circulate for some areas, she talk, and that dey keep children elsewhere exposed. Through im PolioPlus programme, Rotary don support vaccination drives, disease surveillance, health workers and stronger public health systems, she add.

Wetin go happen next

Aisha Bala Mohammed, wife of Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, talk say the day suppose renew the state promise say every eligible child go get vaccinated, wherever dem live and whatever their family circumstances. Talatu Musa Gar, permanent secretary at Ministry of Women Affairs, represent her for the event.

Governor wife talk say his administration go keep supporting health workers, improve services at primary healthcare centres and encourage parents to complete their children vaccines on schedule. She also link immunisation to antenatal care, safe delivery, good nutrition and breastfeeding.

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

Her message to residents simple: government alone no fit finish the work. Parents suppose present their children for vaccination, communities suppose welcome immunisation teams, and everybody suppose help stop rumours about vaccines.