From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The 2025 routine immunisation campaign against poliovirus and other preventable diseases in Gombe State has faced resistance in Tumfure, a busy suburb of Gombe metropolis, raising concerns among vaccinators about children’s health.
Health workers reported growing noncompliance during house-to-house visits, despite awareness campaigns backed by the Gombe State Government, UNICEF, and partners. Aishatu Usman, a frontline vaccinator, expressed frustration: “We go out every day under the sun, walking long distances to reach every child. But some parents shut their doors on us or say they don’t believe in the vaccines.”
Community health experts attribute resistance to misinformation, religious beliefs, and fears about vaccine safety, issues that have long challenged immunisation efforts nationwide. Tina Ibrahim, a retired health worker, urged persistence: “They should not give up. The government and the team should continue to engage local leaders and use community groups and dialogues to dispel myths and misconceptions hindering the full success of the campaign.”
UNICEF’s health officer, Oluseyi Olosunde, speaking at the 2025 National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) launch in Kuri, Yamaltu-Deba LGA, warned that even small pockets of refusal threaten herd immunity in densely populated areas. He noted that four Gombe LGAs—Dukku, Kwami, Funakaye, and Yamaltu-Deba—are among Nigeria’s 100 LGAs with high numbers of unvaccinated children, despite Nigeria’s wild polio-free status since 2020. “The major challenge being faced by the campaign is parents’ non-compliance and refusal of the vaccine,” Olosunde said.
UNICEF has urged traditional and religious leaders to address noncompliance. Bello Babayo Adamu, a Tumfure elder, echoed this call: “Vaccines save lives. We must not allow fear or ignorance to put our children and the entire community and state at risk.”