Kano Residents Urged to Cooperate with Polio Vaccination Campaign

In a bid to eradicate polio, the Kano state government has launched a campaign to vaccinate children against the disease. The campaign, which began on September 28, 2024, aims to reach over 2 million children in the state. To ensure the success of the campaign, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Yusuf, has reassured residents that the polio vaccine is safe and urged them to cooperate with the exercise.

During a recent visit to Kunchi and Tsanyawa local government areas, Dr. Yusuf emphasized the importance of vaccination in protecting children from diseases. “The people need to appreciate the fact that when children are vaccinated, they get robust immune system that could fight and defeat diseases threatening their bodies,” he said. He also highlighted that vaccine-preventable diseases such as diphtheria and measles are still prevalent in the state.

However, the commissioner lamented that some people have refused to cooperate with the immunization exercise, which poses a threat to the health indices of the state. “The good people of Kano should rescind their decision by allowing their eligible children to get vaccinated, failure of which could lead to transmission of the diseases to the immediate neighborhoods, communities, and the state at large,” Dr. Yusuf warned.

Despite some challenges, the commissioner commended the full participation of the political class, traditional leaders, and health department personnel in the campaign. He also urged them to maintain the tempo until the end of the exercise. In addition, he commended Kunchi Local Government for its efforts in ensuring the success of the campaign, including improved data generation.

Dr. Yusuf also commended the state governor, Abba Yusuf, for his commitment to improving health indices in the state and his special attention to the care of his people. He further commended development partners for their immense support to the healthcare system of the state.

With the campaign underway, the Kano state government is urging residents to cooperate with the exercise to ensure the success of the polio vaccination campaign.