Balanga to Immunise 88,346 Children Against Polio
From Abubakar Rabilu Gombe
The Chairman of Balanga Local Government Area in Gombe State, Ibrahim Salisu Jatau, has appealed to parents and guardians to ensure their children receive the polio vaccine, assuring that it is safe and without side effects.
Jatau made the appeal during the commemoration of the 2025 World Polio Day, organised by the Rotary Club across Gombe State.
He said while the response of residents toward the vaccination exercise has been encouraging, there is a need for more participation to ensure every eligible child is immunised.
“There is no harm in taking the vaccine, but we must continue to sensitise the people so that all parents will bring out their children. Our goal is to build a healthy generation,” he said.
The chairman added that his administration has been working closely with traditional rulers, who are the representatives of their people at the grassroots, to help spread the message on the importance of the vaccine.
In his remarks, a representative of the International Vaccine Access Centre (IVAC), Adamu Babayo, said Balanga Local Government Area has a population of about 400,000 people, and 8,346 children across 10 wards are targeted for vaccination in the current round.
He said enough doses have been supplied to cover all the targeted children and called on parents to make sure their children are vaccinated to protect them from polio.
Also speaking, the Head of the SWA Primary Health Care Centre, Mr. Danjuma K. Mauni, emphasised that the polio vaccine is crucial to child health and commended the Rotary Club for its collaboration with the government in marking the World Polio Day.
At the end of the event, Chairman Jatau led the symbolic launch of the campaign by administering the vaccine to some children, marking Gombe’s observance of the annual World Polio Day held on October 24.
