Bauchi: Rotary International and UNICEF have reaffirmed their joint commitment to eliminating polio in Bauchi State, emphasising sustained vaccination efforts and community engagement.
The renewed partnership aims to strengthen healthcare outreach, bolster immunisation coverage, and ensure a polio-free future for children across the region.
President of the Bauchi Central Rotary Club, Mr Adekunle Adeyemi, said this during the 2025 World Polio Day celebration on Friday in Bauchi.
Adeyemi said the humanitarian organisation would continue to lead advocacy campaigns, support survivors, and raise awareness to end the spread of the disease.
Similarly, Mr Panchanan Achari, UNICEF Polio Social and Behavioural Change Manager, said adequate support for integrated vaccination campaigns covering polio, measles, and rubella would continue, especially in high-risk areas.
He added that UNICEF would continue collaborating with governments and partners to strengthen routine immunisation systems and ensure that all children receive essential vaccines to prevent disease outbreaks.
In his remarks, Mr Muktar Ali, Chairman of the Association of People with Disabilities, Bauchi Local Government Area, said the group had been engaging communities to promote compliance with polio immunisation.
Ali, a polio survivor, stressed the importance of sustained awareness and community participation in achieving total eradication of the disease.