Posted on: Fri 04-04-2025

UNICEF’s recent donation of over 2.5 million oral polio vaccine doses to Bauchi State represents a commendable step toward safeguarding the health of children in one of Nigeria’s most vulnerable regions. But with such a massive undertaking, it’s worth questioning: will this be enough?

The statistics are alarming—Bauchi State is home to approximately 556,000 “zero-dose” children, meaning nearly half a million children have never received any form of vaccination. This is not only a public health crisis but a moral call to action. Can a single vaccination campaign, scheduled from April 24 to April 29, 2025, effectively tackle this immense gap in immunization coverage?

UNICEF, led by Nuzhat Rafique in Bauchi, has already set the stage for an ambitious vaccination drive, with the primary goal of reaching every child under five. The question, however, is whether the resources, awareness campaigns, and community engagement needed for such a large-scale operation will match the urgency of the situation. How prepared is the local government and its partners to ensure that these vaccines reach the children who need them most?

The emphasis on “zero-dose” children is certainly the right focus. But with such a substantial proportion of the state’s children unvaccinated, can we realistically expect that every one of them will be reached during this one campaign window? UNICEF’s call for a massive awareness campaign ahead of the vaccination exercise is crucial—but how deeply will it resonate in remote communities where access to healthcare is limited? Will parents and caregivers be convinced to bring their children to vaccination centers, or will logistical barriers and misinformation stand in the way?

Also, while the provision of special pen markers to identify vaccinated children is a practical move, the real question lies in ensuring that no child is left behind. Can the local health teams truly reach all corners of the state, especially given that some regions have historically low vaccine coverage? The vaccine doses may be plenty, but the execution is just as important, if not more so.

Ultimately, the success of this campaign will hinge not just on the availability of vaccines, but on the active participation of local communities, healthcare providers, and stakeholders. The Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board has acknowledged UNICEF’s efforts, but this effort needs to be a collective one—every community leader, healthcare worker, and parent must be on board.

UNICEF’s donation is a vital lifeline, but it’s a reminder that fighting polio and other preventable diseases is a long-term commitment. This campaign is a starting point, but it begs the question: what will happen after April 29, 2025? Will we continue to see long-term investment in health infrastructure and immunization efforts, or will this be another temporary fix for a problem that needs a permanent solution?

It’s time to ask ourselves—how do we sustain these efforts to protect the health of Nigeria’s children well beyond the vaccine doses?

---

---