No fewer than 68,000 children are expected to be vaccinated in Plateau against polio by UNICEF.

Nuzhat Rafique, UNICEF’s Bauchi field officer, disclosed this on Wednesday during an advocacy visit to the Gbong Gwom of Jos, Jacob Buba.

Ms Rafique said a comprehensive plan was in place to vaccinate the 68,000 children through targeted interventions in high-risk areas, including Jos North, Jos South, Shendam, and Wase, as well as five additional zero-dose districts.

She explained that the strategy would involve immediate catch-up activities before the April 26 to 30 campaigns, followed by a second round in December, adding that this was to ensure no child was left behind.

She added that mobile vaccination teams, escorted by security personnel, would penetrate hard-to-reach and volatile areas, while traditional and religious leaders would mobilise communities to counter vaccine hesitancy.

“UNICEF is partnering with local media to dispel misinformation and setting up vaccination posts in royal palaces to build trust,” she said.

Ms Rafique also said there would be weekly follow-up visits to resistant communities, strengthening primary health centres to sustain routine immunisation and ensuring long-term protection beyond the campaign periods.

She said the multi-faceted approach aimed to close the current gap and fortify the health system against future lapses in coverage.

In his remarks, the Plateau commissioner for health, Nicolas Baamlung, said that the statistic of 68,000 unvaccinated children was alarming and described it as a critical public health emergency.

Mr Baamlung said that the ministry, in partnership with the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, had already launched a catch-up immunisation drive ahead of the official April 24 campaign.

He noted that visible leadership participation would help overcome vaccine hesitancy.

Similarly, the Gbong Gwom Jos said he would immediately summon all district and village heads across Plateau to mobilise the entire traditional structure to support the polio campaign.

He gave assurance that traditional rulers in the state would personally lead by example, including public demonstrations of vaccination to overcome cultural hesitancy.

(NAN)