Vaccine Hesitancy Fueling Polio Persistence – Katsina First Lady

The First Lady of Katsina State, Zulaihat Dikko Radda, has attributed the continued spread of the poliovirus in the state to vaccine hesitancy driven by misinformation, fear and mistrust among some parents and caregivers.

Speaking during the commemoration of World Polio Day, the first lady lamented that despite Nigeria’s success in eradicating the wild poliovirus in 2020, the emergence of the circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2) poses a new and serious challenge to public health.

“The heartbreaking reality is that many of these cases could have been avoided. The barrier is not the absence of vaccines or health workers to deliver them, but vaccine hesitancy caused by misinformation and mistrust,” she said.

She disclosed that Katsina State has become one of the epicentres of transmission, with 17 cases recorded in 2024 and two more cases already reported this year in Danmusa Local Government Area.

The First Lady reaffirmed her commitment to championing immunisation efforts across the state, saying she has made it her personal mission as a mother, as a woman, and as a voice for the voiceless.

“I have sat with parents, walked with health workers, and engaged traditional and religious leaders. I have listened, I have learned, and I have led,” she said.

She described vaccines as safe, proven, and humanity’s most powerful weapon against diseases like polio that have no cure.

The first lady commended the efforts of partners including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Rotary International, Gates Foundation, CDC, AFENET, Core Group, Solina, Chigari, and Sultan Foundation for their continued collaboration in fighting the virus.

She appealed to parents to take their children to health centres for vaccination and urged religious and traditional leaders to use their influence to promote public trust in immunisation.

“To our health workers, your courage humbles us you are our heroes in every sense of the word. This is our fight. This is our legacy. And together, we will win. Let no child be left behind, and let no life be lost to preventable disease,” she said.