The United Nations Youngsters’s Fund, UNICEF, has known as on the Kano State Authorities to declare a State of emergency on polio and routine immunisation following a resurgence of the illness within the state.
The Chief of Area Workplace in Kano, Rahma Farah, made the decision on Tuesday in Kano throughout a media dialogue on polio and routine immunization forward of the World Immunization Week.
Represented by Michael Banda, UNICEF Senior Schooling Supervisor in Kano, Farah stated the decision turned crucial as Nigeria recorded 18 circumstances of polio in 18 native authorities areas throughout 9 states, with three situations in Warawa, Bunkure and Nassarawa LGAs of Kano State.
“That is unacceptable and should be urgently addressed. Polio is aware of no boundaries. An outbreak wherever threatens kids in every single place,” he stated.
The dialogue held in collaboration with the Kano State Authorities and the State Main Well being Care Administration Board was convened to hunt media help in mobilising public participation forward of the following Polio Vaccination Marketing campaign scheduled for April 24 to 30, 2025, which coincides with World Immunisation Week.
Farah emphasised the important function of the media in countering disinformation, myths and rumours that always hinder vaccination efforts.
“UNICEF recognises and values your ongoing dedication to little one rights advocacy and public consciousness by means of your platforms.
“We name on you to disseminate correct info and encourage mother and father and caregivers to convey out their kids for vaccination,” he stated.
He famous that greater than three billion individuals have been vaccinated towards polio globally since 1988, resulting in a dramatic discount in circumstances, however warned that current outbreaks present the struggle isn’t but over.
UNICEF additionally appealed to native governments and urged the Kano State Authorities to point out political will by declaring a state of emergency on polio and to make sure the well timed launch of counterpart funding.
Equally, it known as on the Chairman of the Affiliation of Native Authorities Chairmen to safe monetary commitments from LGA leaders for polio campaigns, and for all LGA chairpersons to actively take part in implementation, oversight and backbone of non-compliance.
The company appealed to conventional and non secular leaders within the state to publicly help vaccination efforts and mobilise communities.
Nonetheless, each UNICEF and the Kano State Authorities, reaffirmed their dedication to eradicating polio within the state, with a goal to vaccinate no fewer than 4.1 million kids.
Talking on the occasion, the State Immunization Officer (SIO) Sa’adatu Ibrahim, stated the World Immunization Week was a part of efforts to take care of Nigeria’s polio standing and stop resurgence of the virus.
“Our goal is to achieve each little one with the polio vaccine. The virus has no place in our communities and should be fully eradicated,” she stated.Based on her, Kano State reported three new confirmed circumstances of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus kind 2 (cVPV2) in 2025, elevating renewed issues about persistent gaps in immunisation protection and surveillance throughout the state.
“Based on knowledge from the state’s polio surveillance unit, the circumstances — two detected by means of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance and one by means of Environmental Surveillance (ES) — have been recorded in Warawa, Bunkure, and Nassarawa Native Authorities Areas (LGAs).
“This newest detection follows a resurgence in 2023 and 2024, with 27 confirmed cVPV2 circumstances throughout 11 LGAs in 2023, and an additional 31 circumstances unfold throughout 17 LGAs in 2024,”
She stated that the continued isolation of cVPV2 from stool and sewage samples signifies that many eligible kids are nonetheless being missed throughout routine immunisation workouts and supplementary immunisation actions (SIAs).
“Each missed little one is a hiding place for the polio virus,” she defined.
