Sokoto Targets 1.2m Children in Statewide Polio Vaccination Campaign

SOKOTO, Nigeria – The Sokoto State Government has launched a statewide polio vaccination campaign targeting about 1.2 million children as part of efforts to halt the transmission of circulating variant poliovirus type 2 and protect children from paralysis.

The campaign was flagged off on Friday at the palace of the District Head of Kware, Alhaji Muhammad Dan’iya, ahead of the four-day immunisation exercise scheduled to run from March 7 to March 10 across the state.

Governor Ahmed Aliyu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, said, “This campaign is aimed at interrupting the transmission of the circulating variant poliovirus type 2 and ensuring that no child in Sokoto State is paralysed by this preventable disease,” he said.

Aliyu explained that the vaccination drive would adopt a dual strategy, involving the co-administration of the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) and the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to provide broader protection for children.

According to the governor, thousands of health workers and volunteers have been mobilised to ensure the campaign reaches every eligible child.

“Our technical team has trained a massive workforce across all 244 wards in the 23 local government areas of the state to ensure full coverage,” he said.

Aliyu added that 2,830 house-to-house vaccination teams had been deployed to visit households, while 488 special teams would target transit points, hard-to-reach communities and areas facing security challenges.

He also disclosed that 321 fixed-post vaccination teams had been stationed at hospitals and other strategic locations to provide routine immunisation services during the campaign.

The governor urged traditional rulers, community leaders and local government officials to mobilise residents and ensure parents present their children for vaccination.

“The success of this campaign rests largely on your shoulders,” he said.

About the Author

Hussaini Ibrahim

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Hussaini Ibrahim is a journalist with Africa Health Report (AHR), covering Northern Nigeria with a focus on public health, the environment, and development. He holds a B.A. (Ed) in English from Northwest University, Kano, and brings several years of professional reporting experience. Passionate about accountability and social justice, he specialises in people-centred stories that expose the impact of policies on communities while amplifying the voices of those often excluded from decision-making. X (Twitter): @Mohamme85500159

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