From Umar Dankano, Yola
The Adamawa State Government has concluded arrangements for the second phase of the Sub-National Plus Immunisation Days (SNIPDs), scheduled to hold from May 2 to May 5, 2026, across the state.
Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ADSPHCDA), Dr. Suleiman Bashir Sai’du, disclosed this during a media dialogue with journalists, social media influencers, stakeholders, and development partners. He said the exercise is aimed at bridging immunity gaps among children under five years of age.
Represented by the Director of Disease Control and Immunisation of the agency, Dr. Jacob Vasumu, at the dialogue held on Wednesday in Yola, Dr. Sai’du stated that the campaign is a critical continuation of the state’s broader health strategy.
He described the first round of the immunisation exercise as highly successful, attributing the achievement to strong media support and cooperation. He urged journalists to sustain the momentum by sensitising parents and guardians on the importance of presenting their children for vaccination to ensure no child is left vulnerable.
He explained that the second round of SNIPDs, with two additional mop-up days, is largely a continuation of the first phase conducted a month earlier.
“There is not much difference between the previous round and this one. The goal remains the same—to bridge immunity gaps. We are applying nearly the same implementation, monitoring, and post-implementation strategies, with adjustments only where there may be population increases or additional vaccine requirements,” he said.
Dr. Sai’du announced that a total of 1,301,795 eligible children aged 0 to 59 months are targeted for the exercise, adding that children visiting the state or newly born during the period will also be vaccinated.
To ensure seamless coverage, he noted that the state has secured 1,584,740 vaccine doses—exceeding projected needs to provide a buffer stock for any unforeseen demand.
“We always plan beyond our target to accommodate new births, visitors, and any unexpected increase in eligible children. Every child matters,” Dr. Vasumu added.
In their separate goodwill messages, development partners Jennifer Dabo of UNICEF and Babangida Usman of the World Health Organization (WHO) commended the media for its extensive awareness campaign, which they said significantly contributed to changing public perception and boosting participation in the immunisation exercise.