The United Nations Children’s Fund has announced an extensive vaccination drive targeting more than 3.8 million children across four northern Nigerian states, aiming to curb the spread of measles.
According to The PUNCH, this large-scale immunization effort, revealed by UNICEF Health Officer Patrick Akor during a press briefing in Bauchi, is set to kick off on Saturday and continue for a week.
The integrated measles campaign will roll out in Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, and Plateau, where Akor confirmed, “For the measles campaign, we have a target of 3.8 million children aged nine to 59 months across the four states.”
UNICEF has secured over 4 million doses of measles vaccines, ensuring sufficient coverage for eligible children across these states.
UNICEF’s commitment doesn’t stop with measles. Alongside this, they are launching an oral polio vaccination campaign that spans an additional state, covering a total of five northern states.
“For the oral polio vaccination, we have a target of 6.8 million children aged zero to 59 months, which is under five years, across the five states of Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, and Adamawa,” Akor said.
The campaign will deploy 7.4 million doses of the oral polio vaccine to reach this target, demonstrating UNICEF’s dedication to eradicating both measles and polio within these vulnerable communities.
Highlighting the significance of community awareness, Akor called on local media outlets to amplify information regarding the campaign, especially within rural areas.
His appeal underscores the critical role of public communication in UNICEF’s vaccination efforts, aiming to reach every family within the eligible age bracket.
Further reinforcing this point, a Social and Behavioural Change Specialist with UNICEF in Bauchi, George Eki, detailed the organization’s support in protecting Nigerian children from preventable diseases.
Eki mentioned that UNICEF has been working closely with Nigeria’s National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, state agencies, and other partners to ensure a smooth rollout of the campaign.
The campaign benefits from UNICEF’s logistical support, which has included the distribution of vaccines and additional supplies across the states.
Eki highlighted UNICEF’s involvement in setting up the cold chain system, an essential infrastructure that preserves vaccine potency during storage and transport.
“More importantly,” Eki emphasized, “advocacy, communication, and social mobilisation are core areas of UNICEF’s mandate in this exercise.”
Through these initiatives, UNICEF ensures that communities are well-informed about the timing of the campaign, the age groups eligible for vaccination, and local centers where the vaccines are available.
This strategy aims to boost participation rates and maximize coverage, reinforcing UNICEF’s commitment to leaving no child behind in the fight against preventable diseases.
