The Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency is leading efforts, with support from UNICEF, to increase immunisation coverage across the state.

The executive secretary of the agency, Abdulrahama Shuaibu, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Monday, after an immunisation review meeting.

Mr Shuaibu said the agency had stepped up advocacy and community outreach, working with traditional rulers, religious leaders, and the media to encourage parents to vaccinate their children.

According to him, vaccination teams, chosen from within the local communities, receive full training and daily refresher sessions to ensure high-quality service delivery.

On the issue of resistance, Mr Shuaibu assured parents that the agency and development partners would not leave any stone unturned to ensure that every child was fully immunised.

Nuzhat Rafique, head of UNICEF’s Bauchi field office, said engagement and grassroots mobilisation had significantly improved awareness.

Ms Rafique said traditional rulers and emirs were actively supporting the campaign by hosting launch events in their palaces.

“This involvement is important because it helps the campaign reach more people and work better,” she said.

According to her, UNICEF has provided more than 965,000 polio vaccine doses, which have been safely delivered and managed across all local government areas.

She noted that the campaign had strong support from all stakeholders.

“The state government has ensured proper storage, handling, and delivery to field teams,” stated Ms Rafique. “The campaign is targeting over 700,000 children, with daily reports showing that more than 60 per cent of targets are being met, though final figures will only be confirmed after the campaign ends.”

She, however, stated that the major focus was on the more than 50,000 zero-dose children—those who had never received any vaccination.

“Intensified efforts are underway to ensure none are left behind,” she added.

The UNICEF scribe expressed optimism that with the government and its partners, backed by strong leadership, community ownership, and sustained collaboration, Gombe was on track to achieve significant results in the remaining three days of the five-day campaign.

(NAN)