Bauchi Primary Health Care Board Lauds UNICEF, Partners for Support in Integrated Measles Vaccination Drive

By Uzairu Dauda Bunga:

The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board (BSPHCB) has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding children’s health through an effective vaccination campaign targeting child-killer diseases.

The Executive Chairman of the Board Dr Rilwanu Muhammad stated this during the official launch of the Integrated Measles, Routine Immunization, and Supplementary Immunization Activities in Bauchi State.

Dr. Rilwanu Muhammad, emphasized the campaign’s importance in curbing measles outbreaks and ensuring every child has access to life-saving vaccines.

He praised the state government for its timely release of counterpart funding, which has significantly contributed to the success of the initiative.

Dr. Muhammad also commended the various development partners for their support, citing UNICEF’s contributions in logistics and planning to reach children across the state.

He emphasized that the measles campaign provides an essential opportunity for caregivers to ensure their children are vaccinated, highlighting measles as a highly contagious disease that can cause pneumonia, blindness, deafness, diarrhea, and even death in children under five.

The Executive Chairman Primary Health Care Board, with a target of vaccinating 1,451,421 children for measles and 1,596,000 for polio, the Board is equipped with 1,635,000 measles vaccine doses and 2,409,000 polio vaccine doses, along with other routine immunization supplies.

Dr. Muhammad noted that although Bauchi ranks second nationwide in PENTA vaccination coverage, 13 of its Local Government Areas (LGAs) still report high numbers of unvaccinated or “zero-dose” children, urged development partners to continue their support in addressing these challenges.

In his remarks, the Director of Disease Control and Immunization for Bauchi State, Dr. Adamu Muhammad, discussed the state’s recent outbreaks of diseases like diphtheria, measles, yellow fever, and cholera, attributing them to lapses in immunization compliance.

He appealed to parents to participate in the campaign to help eliminate polio and reduce other preventable diseases.

Dr. Muhammad also encouraged caregivers to vaccinate their female children aged 9 to 13 with the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, emphasizing that all vaccines are free, safe, and effective.

Representing the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Alhaji Shamsuddeen Abdulhamid, applauded Bauchi State and its partners for their robust implementation of the integrated supplementary immunization campaign.

He stated that the campaign is expected to boost population immunity, prevent outbreaks, and help eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases.

In his comments, UNICEF Measles Consultant Alhaji Mustapha Nuru, stressed that vaccination is the most reliable method to protect children from life-threatening diseases.

He highlighted the role of “Mama2Mama” groups in community mobilization, particularly in educating women about Antinatal care, facility-based delivery, and the importance of completing immunization for children.

Also in a remark, the Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Yarima Bucici, noted that Bauchi State has been grappling with measles since March 2024 and called on community leaders to encourage parents to bring their children to vaccination posts.

He reiterated that children eligible for measles and polio vaccines range from 0 to 59 months, while routine immunization focuses on children from 6 to 23 months, aiming to reduce zero-dose cases in the state.

In a message of support, representative of the Bill & Melinda Gates and Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Muhammad Rabi’u Fagge, urged mothers to view the vaccination campaign as a life-saving measure for their children. He assured that both foundations would continue supporting the state’s health initiatives to improve child health.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Executive Chairman of Bauchi Local Government, represented by Director of Primary Health Care Alhaji Sulaiman Abdu Kirfi, called on traditional and religious leaders to mobilize caregivers for maximum participation in the measles vaccination drive, pledging continued support to deliver quality health services in nooks and crannies of the Local Government.