The Kano State government has set a target of vaccinating 3.9 million children under the age of five during the June 2025 Outbreak Response (OBR) campaign.
Dr Nasir Mahmoud, Director-General of the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, announced this during a media dialogue on Thursday in Kano.
Mahmoud explained that the campaign aligned with the national strategy to eradicate polio and maintain Nigeria’s polio-free certification.
He said that the vaccination drive became necessary due to the recent resurgence of the type 2 poliovirus in parts of the state.
According to him, factors such as community resistance, poor data reporting, and insecurity have contributed to the virus’s re-emergence by hindering previous immunization efforts.
“Ungogo Local Government Area recorded the highest level of non-compliance during the May 2025 campaign.
“To improve vaccination coverage, local government areas are now ranked monthly based on performance,” he said.
State aims to end polio, reduce maternal mortality by year-end
Mahmoud reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to eradicating polio by December 2025 and pledged to significantly reduce the maternal mortality rate within the same timeframe, describing both goals as top priorities.
He stressed the importance of collaboration with traditional rulers and the 44 local government chairmen to overcome challenges.
Mr Rahma Mohammed, UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Kano, highlighted that surveillance conducted in 2025 detected the virus in Warawa, Bunkure, Kano Municipal, and Nasarawa Local Government Areas.
“This is unacceptable and must be halted. Polio remains a highly infectious disease that spreads rapidly and knows no borders,” he warned.
Call for stronger coordination and public awareness
Mohammed emphasized that even a single case of polio anywhere posed a threat to children everywhere and called for coordinated efforts to contain the outbreak.
He urged all levels of government, traditional rulers, and the media to intensify awareness campaigns and ensure full vaccination coverage, especially in high-risk areas.
UNICEF backs campaign, calls for emergency declaration
The UNICEF official reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s polio eradication efforts and called for the timely release of counterpart funding and stronger supervision of immunization campaigns.
He also urged the government to declare a public health emergency and increase media engagement to counter misinformation about the vaccine.
What you should know
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects children under the age of five.
Although it is preventable through vaccination, polio continues to pose a significant health threat in areas with low immunization coverage.
The disease is caused by the poliovirus, which spreads mainly through the fecal-oral route, typically from contaminated water or food and, less commonly, through respiratory droplets.
Most people who become infected (about 70 to 90%) do not show any symptoms, making it harder to detect and control in affected communities.
