The Bauchi government says it immunised 3.7 million children during the 2025 Measles/Rubella (MR) vaccination exercise in the state.

Ibrahim Sani, the spokesperson for the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board (BSPHCDB), said this in an interview with journalists on Monday in Bauchi.

He said the exercise targeted children aged nine to 59 months and achieved 100 per cent coverage, surpassing the projected child population.

“The 2025 MR vaccination campaign recorded an extraordinary success with full coverage, significantly reducing the risk of measles and rubella outbreaks in the state,” he said.

Mr Sani said the child survival intervention surpassed 90 per cent coverage, demonstrating the government’s commitment to improving maternal and child health outcomes.

He said the government showed strong political will in improving access to reproductive health services, particularly in family planning.

“In 2025, the Bauchi State government invested N50 million in the procurement of family planning commodities.

“This has improved access to free, safe, and reliable family planning services, reduced unmet needs, and supported maternal and child health,” he said.

He highlighted that infrastructure development remained a key component of primary healthcare revitalisation, noting that 124 facilities had been rehabilitated under the World Bank-supported IMPACT Project.

“This upgrade the facilities with modern infrastructure, equipment and improved service delivery spaces.

“Despite windstorm damage to six facilities, the overall investment is about N7.1 billion. It has significantly enhanced the quality, functionality, and resilience of PHC services in the state,” he said.

According to Mr Sani, the state government has approved N872 million for the 2025 PHC Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Basket Fund to ensure the sustainability and continuity of PHC reforms.

On disease prevention, Mr Sani said the board conducted Mass Drug Administration (MDA) of Azithromycin in collaboration with the MITOSATH and other partners.

He said the intervention targeted high-burden communities and contributed to the reduction of infectious diseases, reinforcing the state’s commitment to preventive and promotive healthcare.

Mr Sani said the board also trained 57 personnel to improve their capacities through the National Training-of-Trainers (ToT) programme, and cascaded the training to 1,292 health workers across 323 PHCs in the state.

“This large-scale capacity-building initiative has improved the competence and service quality of frontline health workers, translating to better patient care.

“With improved infrastructure, expanded service coverage, a strengthened workforce, and increased government ownership, Bauchi State has positioned itself as a model for primary healthcare delivery and reform in Nigeria,” Mr Sani said.

(NAN)