The Adamawa State government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is currently executing a remedial vaccination initiative. This project aims to reach children who missed their mandatory immunization cycles due to various challenges.
Supported by funding from the Republic of Korea, the program employs specialized vaccinators and community workers to locate children who have never been immunized, known as zero-dose, as well as those who started but did not complete their immunization regimen. Patrick Akor, a UNICEF Health Officer, noted that the mission specifically seeks out children over 11 months old who have not yet received any vaccines, along with those in areas experiencing insecurity who have incomplete records.
Local teams, referred to as defaulter trackers, are conducting door-to-door outreach. Joseph Timothy, a consultant for Yola South LGA, explained that these individuals identify families and coordinate either clinic visits or direct outreach from medical teams. Umar Bahuli, the Adamawa State Immunization Officer, reported that the initiative has already shown significant success in regions that previously struggled with low routine immunization coverage.
