By Adamu Yusuf
Bauchi State Government has set a target of over 2.45 million children for vaccination in the April round of the Sub-National Immunization Plus Days (SNIPDs), in collaboration with the Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin on Children (SARMAAN II) initiative.
The State Immunization Officer, Mohammed Nasiru Shuaibu, disclosed this during a media dialogue in Bauchi.
He said the target of 2,454,058 children was based on the state’s strong performance in the March round of the exercise.
According to him, Bauchi surpassed its previous projection, achieving over 100 per cent coverage.
“The new target reflects children already reached, and we are determined to improve on the outcome,” he said.
Health officials noted that the state recorded 104 per cent coverage in the last round, attributing the success to increased public trust and effective community mobilisation.
To strengthen child survival efforts, the Director of Primary Health Care, Dr. Sufwan Ahmed, said the campaign would integrate routine polio immunisation with the SARMAAN II project.
He explained that children aged one to 59 months would receive Azithromycin, an oral antibiotic used to prevent respiratory infections and reduce cases of diarrhoea.
He added that administering the drug twice yearly helps boost immunity among children under five.
Dr. Ahmed stressed that although the vaccines are provided free of charge, they come at significant cost to the government and its partners.
He urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the exercise.
Also speaking, Moses Egehye, a consultant with UNICEF, called on journalists to promote accurate reporting and counter misinformation to enhance public acceptance.
The statewide immunisation campaign is scheduled to hold from May 3 to May 8, 2026, targeting eligible children across communities in Bauchi.
Authorities say the initiative is aimed at improving child health outcomes and sustaining progress in the fight against preventable diseases.
