Routine immunization boosts immunity, strengthens resilience – Dr. Vasumu
• As agency commences fresh vaccination from 14 – 17 June 2025
Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA) has disclosed that the wisdom behind routine immunization is to ensure children under five have developed strong resistance against the dreaded polio virus and to ensure newly born children and those who may have been left out are covered.
The position was made by Dr. Jacob Vasumu, Director Disease Control and Immunization (ASPHCDA) during a media dialogue with journalists, social media influencers and partners heralding another routine immunization, and maternal child care week and deworming exercise which will simultaneously kickstart on June 14, 2025.
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The dialogue was supported by UNICEF in collaboration with ASPHCDA.
Speaking further, Vasumu noted that the fresh immunization targets 1,379,814 children under 0 – 59 months adding that the nOPV vaccine received from national for June 2025 NIPDs stands at 1,599,600 while nOPV vaccine distributed to LGAs to be utilized stand at 1,571,300.
He noted that robust strategies have been put in place to ensure wider reach vis a vis the success of the campaign through strengthened advocacies, communication and social mobilization to all identified stakeholders across the 21 local governments areas of the state.
Vasumu said that since the action usually takes place at the ward level, his organization has deemed it right to work with Muslim council, CAN, traditional institutions and other grass roots based groups and organizations.
He called on journalits and social media influencers to put across the right information and messages that will diffuse issues around rejection, myths and non-compliance to enhance success of the campaign.
Also speaking, the executive chairman of ASPHCDA, Dr. Sulaiman Sa’id Bashir noted that during the four day exercise that will kickstart on 14th June, 2025 a number of services will be provided including the oral polio vaccination, maternal and new born week where a range of services will be provided and deworming exercise which becomes important with the commencement of the rainy season.
He urged journalist and the social media influencers to report the events responsibility and with empathy so as to effect social and behavioral change in the people.
Bashir said because of the relevance of the media in countering misinformation, and disinformation, he will make such dialogue routine so that that concerns can be raised and addressed while successes could be improved.
Speaking on the rationale of organizing the dialogue, the director advocacy, communication and social mobilization of ASPHCDA, David Birdling said the major goal is to address challenges besetting the administration of the polio vaccines such as myths, disinformation, misinformation and rejection.
He noted that during the four day campaign, services such as deworming, vital registration, neonatal and maternal child care, as well as vitamin A will be administered to the children.
Also speaking, Prof. Georgina Odaibo, from the National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for Polio Eradication expressed gratitude to Adamawa State government for its unwavering support to the success of the immunization exercise in the state.
She also thanked the media and other key stakeholders for their unflinching support and faith in the campaign adding that it has added tremendous impetus and successes recorded.
She urged the media to maintain the tempo and device new effective strategies in countering misinformation and myths militating against the overall success of the campaign.
She urged stakeholders to multiply efforts in fighting the scourge adding that if “we can collectively fight wild polio virus, no scourge will be indispensable to slay.”
Critical stakeholders such as UNICEF, CAN, Muslim Council and traditional leaders attended and offered deep insight in how the successes could be improved upon while challenges could be surmounted.
