How We Convinced Community To Accept Polio Vaccine – LG Chairman

Chairman of Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano state, Sa‘adatu Salisu Yushu‘a, has said the state government intervention to build a culvert after a failed promised by the previous administration to carryout the same project in one of its communities with the highest number of zero dose children has made them to accept polio immunisation in the area.

According to UNICEF, Kano is home to the highest number of children in Nigeria who have never received any routine immunisation vaccine. This is compounded by the alarming rise in variant poliovirus cases reported in 2022(6 reported cases), 2023(27 cases), and 2024(29 cases).

However, in an interview with Hon. Yushu‘a, she said the LGA has been reported to have the highest zero dose in the state. With the support of some security personnel, they visited and enlightened the traditional leaders and community members on the importance of vaccines and immunisation.

As the chairperson of the area, coming to know about their rejection and the high rate of zero dose children, particularly in one remote village, myself with the help of the DPO, DSS and the traditional rulers financed a trip to that village purposely where we sat with the traditional rulers and explained to them on the importance of this polio vaccine.

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„They told us about their rejection because the previous government promised to construct a culvert for them after receiving the polio vaccine, but it wasn‘t fulfilled, and they refused the vaccination.

She, however, stressed how the culvert is very important for the community, highlighting that, like a feeder road, the culvert would connect five villages, which can serve as a significant way to transport their foodstuffs during harvest seasons and their women to the hospital.

The chairperson also noted that, after a formal written agreement with the community, they accepted and have started receiving the Polio vaccine. At the same time, the government would ensure the culvert construction is completed.