Kano Targets 4.1m Children For Polio Vaccination

The Kano State government said it is targeting 4.1 million children for Polio Vaccination in the next round of the polio campaign between 24th and 30th April 2025.

The director general, Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Dr. Nasiru Mahmoud, made this known during a Media Dialogue on Polio and Routine Immunisation held in Kano yesterday.

Represented by the state immunisation officer (SIO), Hajiya Sa’adatu Ibrahim, Dr. Mahmoud said polio is a vaccine-preventable illness that can be prevented through routine immunisation, supplementary vaccination, and effective surveillance.

According to her, in 2024, the state recorded 31 Circulating Variant Poliovirus type 2(CVPv2) in 17 Local Government Areas, while in 2025, three more cases(AFP-2, ES-1) have so far been recorded across Warawa, Bankure, and Nassarawa LGAs.

She further pointed out that the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency is committed to ensuring a new shift towards the total eradication of polio by the end of 2025. As such, there is a need for collaborative action between stakeholders as funding is uncertain beyond 2025.

In his opening remarks, Chief of UNICEF Kano Field Office, Mr. Rahma Farah, urged the Kano State government to declare a state of emergency on Polio and routine immunisation, taking urgent action to stop the outbreaks in the state.

The chief, who was represented by the Senior Education Manager and Officer-in-Charge of the field office, Michael Banda, stressed the need to reach all children with polio and other life-saving vaccines, saying they are available, safe, and effective.

“Across the world, 3 billion people have been immunised against polio since 1988, bringing the disease to the brink of eradication. But the fight is not over, including in Nigeria, because low vaccination rates are creating opportunities for polio outbreaks as we are seeing in Nigeria recently.

“In 2025, 18 cases of polio have been reported in 18 LGAs in nine (9) states of Nigeria. Three of these polio cases are in Warawa, Bunkure and Nassarawa LGAs of Kano State. This is unacceptable and must be halted!”

Therefore, he tasked the state and local governments with ensuring the timely release of adequate counterpart funding for routine vaccination and polio vaccination campaigns and honouring and implementing all the commitments they made publicly in Kaduna early this year to win the fight in the eradication.

Farah further sought the support of the media to raise awareness of the upcoming polio vaccination and World Immunisation Week in order to reach the expected target for the vaccinations.