UNICEF resolves polio vaccine non-compliance in Bauchi communities
13th May 2025
The United Nations Children’s Education Fund has disclosed that it had resolved a reasonable number of polio vaccination non-compliance in the Kundum Durum community of Bauchi, Bauchi State.
Speaking with journalists during a monitoring exercise, the Polio Ward Focal Person, Kundum Durum, in Bauchi Local Government, Nuru Abdullahi, noted that on the first day of the exercise, non-compliance was recorded in 10 houses in the community.
Nuru, while acknowledging that residents of the community are gradually accepting and embracing the polio vaccines, explained that “Out of the over 2000 houses visited in the community, less than 10 houses are still recorded with non-compliance.”
He maintained that “Even the houses where non-compliance is recorded have been resolved immediately by the UNICEF team led by its Chief of Bauchi Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique came for supervision.”
He stated that over 4000 children between the ages of 0-5 have been vaccinated as the third day of the vaccination exercise.
Nuhu further clarified, “Especially those of us in the outskirts of the town where we have to do long distances to get to the next areas.
“From where one takes the vaccines to vaccination areas one has to pay for transport.”
Meanwhile, the polio ward focal person emphasised that the increase in allowance is timely and commendable.
He disclosed that the ward was provided with enough vaccines and working materials.
Abdullahi, who said that the success recorded was equally due to the large participation and involvement of the traditional leaders, also admited that, “The recruitment of the ad-hoc vaccinators in the respective community in question is the game changer.
“Also, the increase in the allowance of the ad-hoc vaccinators from N26,000 per team to N30,600 equally played a vital role.”
On his part, the Ward Head of Durum, who is the overseer of the Kundum Durum catchment area, Nasiru Musa Ahmad, revealed that the reasons some of residents of the communities earlier rejected the vaccines was not for any cultural or religious reasons but mostly to show their grievances over the uneven distribution of incentives from the government.
He stressed that “Whenever there was a distribution of palliative by the government for any reason, some individuals who were not lucky enough to benefit trended their grievances to the vaccination officers.”
He maintained that “Unlike other places areas where the residents totally rejected immunisations, ours is merely a show of grievances and is always resolved whenever our representatives intervene.”
He appreciated the World Health Organisation and UNICEF for their continued intervention in health-related issues.
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