Hussaini Kafi in Kano
The Kano State Government has set a target to vaccinate 3.9 million children under the age of five during the June 2025 Outbreak Response campaign following a resurgence of the type 2 poliovirus in parts of the state.
The Director-General of the State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Dr Nasir Mahmoud, disclosed this during a media dialogue on Thursday in Kano.
“We are aligning this campaign with the national strategy to eradicate polio and sustain Nigeria’s polio-free certification,” he said.
Mahmoud attributed the re-emergence of the virus to “community resistance, poor data reporting, and insecurity,” noting that, “Ungogo Local Government Area recorded the highest level of non-compliance during the May 2025 campaign.”
“To improve coverage, LGAs are now ranked monthly based on performance,” he added.
Mahmoud reaffirmed the government’s commitment to “eradicating polio and significantly reducing maternal mortality by December 2025,” describing both as top health priorities.
Also speaking, the UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Kano, Mr Rahma Mohammed, revealed that surveillance conducted in 2025 detected the virus in Warawa, Bunkure, Kano Municipal, and Nasarawa LGAs.
“This is unacceptable and must be halted. Polio remains a highly infectious disease that spreads rapidly and knows no borders,” he warned.
Mohammed added, “Even a single case of polio anywhere is a threat to children everywhere. We must act together to stop this.”
He urged the government to declare a public health emergency, release counterpart funding promptly, and intensify media campaigns to counter vaccine misinformation.
“UNICEF remains committed to supporting Nigeria’s polio eradication efforts,” he said.
