By RismadarVoice Media
December 16, 2025
Parents, guardians in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State have expressed satisfaction with the ongoing National Immunization Plus Days conducted by the Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ADSPHCDA) with support from its partners.
Assessment of the exercise undertaken by some journalists round the council area on Monday, December 15 revealed the rekindled enthusiasm of the parents, guardians, who couldn’t hide their excitement and appreciations for the provision of the health care services to their families, especially the children.
Some parents described the intervention as a “life saving proactive move” noting that the government is being sensitive to the health care and well-being of the populace, pledging a
strong cooperation to the healthcare workers, caregivers with a view towards achieving hitch-free immunizations in their communities.
A parent in the area, Mr. Bitrus Kudin noted that the immunization exercise is an integral, most important essential public health intervention which can be over emphasized, and that, only ignorance could lead to its rejection.
Kudin also opined that, the presence of the health workers and community mobilizers in company of the media – speak volumes of the efficiency, safety of vaccines, asserting that children represent the future of society and must be protected to enable them contribute meaningfully in the future.
While commending the State Government, its partners, Kudin attributed the massive awareness campaigns on the immunization exercise, gives the citizens a change of attitude over the myths, misconception been experiencing in the past.
Another resident, Mr. Bayero Haruna viewed the ongoing exercise as gateway to a healthy growth of the children; stressing that the immunization keeps the children free from preventable diseases
Haruna expressed confidence that the children who are exposed to immunization experience fewer cases of childhood illness, urging parents, guardians to attach importance to immunization due to its potency and efficacy.
He also commended health workers for their dedication, describing them as committed, diligent in ensuring that every eligible child is reached during the exercise.
In his remarks during the exercise, Joshua Mataboyo, a healthcare expert explained that the current round focuses on the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV), aimed at protecting children against poliomyelitis.
Mataboyo stated that, the exercise commenced on December 9, 2025, as part of national and sub-national efforts to further reducing the circulation of poliovirus in Nigeria and the wider African region, stressing that the significance of the exercise cannot be overstated.
Polio remains a public health concern despite years of progress. The NOPV is designed to deplete the number of children vulnerable to poliovirus infection, thereby strengthening population immunity and preventing future outbreaks.
“The vaccination targets eligible children across households, public spaces to ensure no child is missed, and there has been virtually 100 percent acceptance of the vaccines so far due to effective information dissemination, community mobilization”, Mataboyo assured.
He noted that they have been minimal and largely related to expectations from some parents who participated in earlier campaigns.
He also explained that previous immunization rounds, particularly the DOPV exercise, included incentives such as sweets, food items distributed at markets, streets, and water points to encourage participation.
According to him, some parents, have been asking whether similar incentives would be extended to house-to-house vaccinations.
The campaign, being implemented by the Adamawa State Government with support from UNICEF and other development partners, is receiving widespread acceptance, reflecting growing public trust in routine and supplemental immunization programmes.
