UNICEF, Rotary, other partners to create awareness on negative effects of polio

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and members of the Rotary Club of Bauchi Central on Friday organised a walk to create awareness on polio as well as commemorate the 2025 World Polio Day.

Participants included Polio Survivors Groups (PSGs), Fathers for Good Health (F4H), Mama2Mama, U-Reporters, volunteers, and other community-based advocates.

The procession moved through the busy streets of Bakaro, Karofi, and Kofar Dumi before terminating at the Bayan Fada Primary Healthcare Centre amid musical fanfare, drumming, and trumpeting to draw the attention of the general public to Nigeria’s polio-free status.

Among the participants in the walk were victims of polio who rode in their wheelchairs, while others walked with crutches to highlight the negative effects of not allowing children under five to be vaccinated against polio and the ongoing measles-rubella vaccination campaign.

At the end of the 4km walk, both UNICEF and the Rotary Club of Bauchi Central reaffirmed their joint commitment to sustaining Nigeria’s polio-free status through renewed collaboration with government and community stakeholders.

Speaking at an event in Bauchi to mark World Polio Day on Friday, UNICEF Global Special Behavioural Change Manager and Head of World Polio Outbreak Response, Dr Panchanan Achari, said the organisation remains focused on ensuring that every child, regardless of location, has access to life-saving vaccines.

According to him, the 2025 celebration theme, “End Polio: Every Child, Every Vaccine, Everywhere,” reflects the global call to action to protect all children from preventable diseases.

Dr Achari commended Nigeria’s progress in eradicating the wild poliovirus but emphasised that collective action must continue until total eradication is achieved.

“We are closer than ever to ending polio, but we must not relent. Every child must be reached, especially those in hard-to-reach communities,” he stated.

He also noted that vaccination not only prevents polio but also strengthens health systems, contributes to community resilience, and helps fight other preventable illnesses.

He called for stronger investment in primary healthcare and the integration of services such as nutrition, maternal health, and sanitation to ensure holistic child well-being.

“UNICEF will continue working with the Nigerian government, Rotary International, WHO, and community leaders to build vaccine confidence and counter misinformation. The last mile is always the hardest, but it is also the most important,” Dr Achari said.

In his remarks, the President of the Rotary Club of Bauchi Central, Adeyemi Adekunle, said Rotary International remains committed to ending polio and sustaining a healthy future for children.

According to him, “World Polio Day is not just a time to celebrate progress; it’s a time to renew our resolve. Polio survivors remind us of what is at stake. Their resilience inspires us to keep polio at zero.”

He recalled Rotary Club’s historic contribution to global polio eradication since its establishment in 1905, describing the organisation as a key driver of community health initiatives worldwide.

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Rotary, he said, continues to mobilise resources and volunteers to support immunisation campaigns, community education, and healthcare outreach in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners.

Adeyemi Adekunle added, “Rotary will keep working hand in hand with our partners to ensure that no child is left behind. The fight against polio has brought the world together before  and it must continue to unite us until the job is done.”

Both UNICEF and Rotary reaffirmed that sustained commitment, innovation, and collaboration at all levels  from global organisations to local community groups  are critical to achieving a world free from polio.

In an interview, one of the polio survivors, Dahiru Abdullahi, thanked UNICEF and Rotary International for their care and support. He added that polio is real and urged people not to discriminate against survivors but to include them in all government programmes.

He also called on citizens to accept the polio vaccine to help reduce the spread of the disease in society.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE