Adamawa State on Saturday commenced its June 2025 oral polio vaccination campaign, targeting over 1.3 million children aged 0-59 months across the state's 21 local government areas.

State officials announced during a press briefing that the government has received 1,572,300 doses of vaccines for the targeted 1,379,814 children. The four-day exercise, which began on June 14, will continue until June 17.

Dr. James Vasumu, the State Director of Disease Control and Immunization, confirmed that extensive sensitization efforts have been conducted across all 226 wards to encourage parents to present their under-five children for this critical vaccination.

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy

Dr. Suleiman Bashir, Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, appealed for media support to achieve 100 percent acceptance of the vaccination campaign among residents.

"We need behavioural change among households. We need them to believe that the vaccine is safe and to access this vaccination which government spends much money to make available for free," Bashir stated, acknowledging that some families in certain areas still view oral vaccines with skepticism.

Collaborative Effort

The Oral Polio Vaccination Campaign is a joint initiative by the Federal Government, various state governments, and international organizations including UNICEF and WHO, among other partners.

Professor Georgina Odaibo, a national official from the Emergency Operation Centre responsible for improving information sharing regarding the campaign, emphasized the safety of the polio vaccine based on her expertise as a virologist.

She explained that although Nigeria is currently free of wild polio, continued vaccination is essential to maintain this status and protect citizens should any infected individuals enter the country from abroad.

The vaccination drive represents a significant public health initiative aimed at safeguarding the future of Adamawa's children and maintaining Nigeria's polio-free status.

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