HEALTH:  Declare state of emergency on polio eradication – UNICEF tells Kano govt As State govt ‘ ll immunise 4.1million  children under five years 

The outbreak of the deadly variant of poliomyelitis was recorded in the last three months, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has confirmed.

This was just as the State government would immunised 4.1 million children under the age of five years, as a measure to nip in the bud the reoccurrence of polio virus and to ensure healthy safety of children from polio

The Chief of Field Office in Kano, Rahma Farah of UNICEF,made
the call on Tuesday in Kano during a media dialogue on polio and routine immunization ahead of the World Immunization Week.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Michael Banda, UNICEF Senior Education Manager in Kano, Farah said the call became necessary as Nigeria recorded 18 cases of polio in 18 local government areas across nine states, with three instances in Warawa, Bunkure and Nassarawa LGAs of Kano State.

According to him,” This  is unacceptable and must be urgently addressed. Polio knows no boundaries. An outbreak anywhere threatens children everywhere,”

However,the  dialogue held in collaboration with the Kano State Government and the State Primary Health Care Management Board was convened to seek media support in mobilising public participation ahead of the next Polio Vaccination Campaign scheduled for April 24 to 30, 2025, which coincides with World

The UNICEF boss, however, worried that the fight against polio is not over in some countries, including in Nigeria, because of low vaccination rates, thereby paving the way for polio outbreaks.

Banda explained that there is a collaboration with the Kano State Government through the Primary Health Care Management Board to broaden public knowledge on the potency of the vaccination.

He added that the media dialogue was targeted to solicit media support in raising awareness and mobilizing parents on the polio vaccination campaign in Kano ahead of World Immunization Week, beginning from 24th and 30th April 2025.

Speaking at the occasion the, representative of Kano state Primary Healthcare Management Board, Hajia Saadatu Ibrahim,disclosed that no fewer than 4.1 million under five age children would be immunised

She however identified challenges of hard-to-reach settlements, missing houses, zero-dose vaccination, and poor healthcare workers as major setbacks.

She reassured that the government has a renewed strategy to overcome the challenges, including a new method of recruiting immunization workers and the involvement of external supervisors.