Kano Govt records over 90% success in 2025 Polio immunization – Dr. Labaran
Kola Oyelere, Kano
The Kano State Government says it has maintained its strong momentum against poliomyelitis, recording over 90 percent success in the 2025 Polio Immunization campaign.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, disclosed this during the flag-off of the November 2025 Sub-National Immunization Plus Days (SIPDs) held in Kano.
Dr. Labaran described the November round as the final phase of the four-cycle campaign for the year, noting that Kano remains committed to sustaining its polio-free status.
“Today’s event underscores our continuous efforts to safeguard the lives of our children against vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly poliomyelitis,” he said.
“Kano State has come a very long way in this journey. Together with our traditional leaders, development partners, local government authorities, and dedicated health workers, we have strengthened surveillance systems, optimized service delivery, and expanded routine immunization coverage across all communities.”
The commissioner explained that despite the global detection of circulating poliovirus in some regions, Kano continues to demonstrate strong resilience through its highly sensitive Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance system, designed to detect and respond swiftly to any potential threats.
He revealed that the previous immunization round achieved over 95 percent coverage according to administrative data, while independent monitoring confirmed a reduction in missed children across both household and non-household categories.
He noted that the number of zero-dose children has continued to decline, especially in high-risk local government areas.
However, Dr. Labaran stressed the need for more effort in a few LGAs that still recorded gaps. He urged them to strengthen political engagement, improve micro-planning, track new settlements, and reach underserved and nomadic populations.
He also called for improved team performance, strict adherence to operational guidelines, and prompt resolution of challenges, particularly in areas affected by security concerns or population movements.
The commissioner announced that the current exercise aims to reach more than 3 million children aged 0–59 months with the oral polio vaccine.
He charged all 44 local government chairmen, district heads, ward focal persons, and community mobilizers to ensure full participation and visibility of political leadership throughout the four-day exercise.
“To our frontline vaccinators – the heroes of this campaign – I commend your resilience and passion,” he added. “As you go house-to-house and settlement-to-settlement, please uphold professionalism, data accuracy, quality supervision, and respectful care for families.”
Dr. Labaran appreciated development partners, traditional rulers, and religious leaders for their continued support, urging parents and caregivers to cooperate with vaccination teams.
“Open your door to the vaccination team. Ensure your child receives the vaccine — today, tomorrow, and always. One missed child is too many,” he emphasized.
Earlier, the Director-General of the State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Professor Salisu Ahmad Ibrahim, praised the state government for its consistent support toward successful immunization exercises. He urged supervisors to ensure that vaccinators reach all eligible children during the campaign.