Sokoto Targets 1.2 Million Kids in Intensive Four-Day Polio Immunization Campaign

In a bid to halt the spread of the circulating variant poliovirus type 2, the Sokoto State Government has embarked on a statewide polio vaccination campaign, which is geared towards shielding children from the debilitating effects of paralysis. The campaign was formally launched on Friday at the palace of the District Head of Kware, Alhaji Muhammad Dan’iya. Scheduled to run from Saturday, March 7, to Tuesday, March 10, the exercise aims to guarantee that no child in the state falls victim to this preventable disease. The campaign's primary objective is to interrupt the transmission of the circulating variant poliovirus type 2. Governor Ahmed Aliyu underscored the importance of the exercise, emphasizing its potential to save children from the ravages of polio.

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Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, Governor Aliyu elucidated that the campaign will employ a more aggressive approach, entailing the co-administration of the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 and the Oral Polio Vaccine. This dual strategy is designed to provide comprehensive protection for children against multiple strains of the virus. Thousands of health workers and volunteers have been mobilized across the state to ensure the exercise's success. The governor revealed that a substantial workforce has been trained and deployed across all 244 wards in the 23 local government areas of the state. This extensive deployment is expected to facilitate total coverage of the exercise.

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According to the governor, 2,830 house-to-house teams have been dispatched to visit households, while 488 special teams will cover transit locations, hard-to-reach communities, and areas with security challenges. Furthermore, 321 fixed post teams have been stationed at hospitals and other strategic locations across the state to provide routine immunisation services. Governor Aliyu urged traditional rulers, local government chairmen, and community leaders to ensure total compliance with the exercise, stressing that their support is crucial to its success. He cautioned that any official found sabotaging the exercise or mismanaging operational funds would face disciplinary action.

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The state Commissioner for Health, Faruk Umar, disclosed that all necessary arrangements have been made to guarantee the campaign's success, with the state government targeting approximately 1.2 million children for vaccination during the four-day exercise. Thousands of health workers have been trained and deployed for the campaign, with the governor approving all logistics and requirements needed for its successful implementation. Earlier, the Chairman of Kware Local Government Area, Ibrahim Attahiru, commended the state government for choosing the council as the venue for the flag-off ceremony, calling on parents and guardians across the state to support the campaign.

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The Special Adviser on Primary Healthcare, Bello Muhammad, assured residents that the vaccines are safe and effective, urging parents to allow their children to participate in the programme. Representatives of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and UNICEF commended the state government and traditional institutions for mobilising communities for the exercise, reiterating their commitment to supporting Sokoto State in achieving its immunisation goals. The governor also expressed his gratitude to development partners, including the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for their continued support.

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The campaign's launch ceremony brought together various stakeholders, including traditional rulers, local government officials, and health experts, all of whom are committed to ensuring the exercise's success. With the state government's commitment to immunisation and the support of development partners, Sokoto State is poised to make significant strides in protecting its children from the scourge of polio. The governor's emphasis on the importance of community participation and the need for total compliance with the exercise underscores the state's determination to eradicate polio and ensure a healthier future for its children.