Yemi Kosoko in Jos
Plateau State’s ongoing oral cholera vaccination campaign in Jos North and Mangu local government areas has continued to gather momentum, with health officials reporting impressive community turnout and smooth operations across both councils.
The exercise, undertaken by the Plateau State Ministry of Health in partnership with UNICEF and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, follows the July cholera outbreak that claimed at least 18 lives and left hundreds infected.
In Jos North, Local Immunisation Officer, Nimnan Zinghi, said the campaign has progressed without major challenges across the 20 wards under his supervision. He noted that the five‑day exercise has benefited significantly from early community engagement, during which letters were sent to traditional leaders to sensitise residents in local dialects.
Zinghi said the strategy has paid off, with residents responding in large numbers to the vaccination teams stationed at fixed posts in hospitals, temporary mobile units moving through streets, and house‑to‑house teams reaching elderly and home‑bound individuals. He disclosed that the council’s target is 731,000 people aged one year and above, and that over 695,000 residents have already been immunised.
A resident of Jos North, Lami Paul in Kabong, said she took the vaccine alongside her son after health workers visited her neighbourhood. She explained that although none of her family members had been infected, she considered it wise to protect herself.
She urged others to take advantage of government‑provided health interventions, saying people should not wait for persuasion when such opportunities arise.
Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Ba’amlong, said the outbreak, which began in July, resulted in 543 suspected cases, 31 confirmed by rapid diagnostic tests, and six confirmed by culture. He said Mangu and Jos North were the worst hit, prompting the state to deploy health workers, sanitation teams, and water support to affected communities.
Ba’amlong, who visited both councils to monitor the vaccination exercise, said he personally took the oral vaccine publicly to encourage residents. He reported that communities in Mangu I and II Wards were also responding positively, with over 300 people vaccinated early in the morning during his visit.
He added that the state government provided free treatment, drugs, IV fluids, antibiotics, and settled hospital bills for cholera patients during the outbreak. He said no new cases have been recorded in the last two to three weeks, attributing the progress to swift government intervention and support from development partners.
Ba’amlong commended Governor Caleb Mutfwang for creating an enabling environment for the campaign and acknowledged UNICEF and other partners for their role in supplying vaccines and supporting public sensitisation efforts.
Plateau State continues to intensify hygiene education, water safety messaging, and surveillance activities to prevent future outbreaks, even as the immunisation campaign enters its final stretch.