By Danhassan Abubakar
The Bauchi State Government has launched the April round of the Sub-National Immunization Plus Days (SNIPDs), alongside the administration of Azithromycin under the SARMAAN II project, targeting over 2.6 million children across the state.
The flag-off ceremony, held at Bayan Fada Primary Health Care Centre on Monday, underscores the government’s renewed commitment to protecting children from preventable diseases through integrated healthcare interventions led by the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board (BASPHCDB).
Speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman of BASPHCDB, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, reaffirmed the state’s determination to reach every eligible child with life-saving vaccines, stressing that no child should be left behind. He called on community leaders, caregivers, and relevant stakeholders to support the exercise to ensure its success.
Similarly, the Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, urged parents to take advantage of the campaign by presenting their children for vaccination, noting that immunization remains critical to child survival and national development.
In her goodwill message, the Managing Director of the SARMAAN II Project, Dr. Francisca Olaniyi, commended the Bauchi State Government for fostering an enabling environment for integrated immunization across all 20 local government areas. She emphasized the importance of combining vaccination with Azithromycin administration to improve child health outcomes.
Other partners, including representatives of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Malaria Consortium, and community leaders, also pledged continued support for the initiative.
