The Bauchi State Government has revealed its intention to work together with security forces and traditional leaders to apprehend parents who do not permit their eligible children to receive polio vaccinations, in response to rising worries about low immunization rates throughout the state.
The Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA), Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, announced this on Saturday during the kickoff of a statewide polio vaccination campaign in Madina Quarters, a community noted for its low compliance within the Bauchi metropolitan area.
Dr. Mohammed announced that they have invested millions of naira alongside UNICEF and other development partners to protect all children from the polio virus. He cautioned parents that reports of zero-dose cases will no longer be tolerated, and those who do not comply will be subject to arrest.
According to the health official, 13 out of the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Bauchi still record zero-dose rates for polio immunisation, signaling a major setback in the fight against the virus.
During the event, Mohammed Tirwun, the Village Head of Tirwun, urged parents to participate in the vaccination campaign, emphasizing that “immunization is essential for the safety and future of our children.”
Representatives from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed their dedication to assisting the state’s initiatives. A UNICEF official stated at the event, “Every child deserves to be included in the goal of achieving a polio-free society.”
Nuzhat Rafique, the Chief of the Bauchi Field Office for UNICEF, previously cautioned during her visit to HRH Usman Bilyaminu Othman, the Emir of Dass, that Nigeria could lose international backing for polio eradication if it does not take advantage of what she referred to as “possibly the final opportunity” to eliminate the disease.
