Hotoro North community in Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State has recorded a significant increase in polio vaccine acceptance, following intensified outreach efforts by the state government in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and local leaders.
This renewed campaign comes in response to a recent resurgence of circulating variant polioviruses, with three new cases identified earlier this year in Warawa, Bunkure, and Nassarawa LGAs.
During a recent visit by journalists covering the National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDS) campaign, local officials reported a marked improvement in public response and a sharp reduction in parental resistance to vaccination.
According to field reports, enhanced awareness initiatives—driven by religious and traditional institutions—are playing a crucial role in changing perceptions. A member of the Ward Development Committee (WDC) and the local polio taskforce revealed that during the third day of the campaign, only four households initially resisted vaccination. However, following interventions by community leaders, three of those families later agreed to immunize their children.
He attributed the progress to consistent community engagement and sensitization led by influential local figures, which has helped parents better understand the importance of protecting their children through vaccination.
The village head’s representative for Hotoro North, Umar Ahmad, noted that community announcements and one-on-one engagements have played a key role. “We collaborate closely with the Voluntary Community Mobilisers (VCMs) and their supervisors. Whenever they encounter resistance, they inform us and we speak directly to the families. By God’s grace, many of them now cooperate,” he said.
Assistant ward vocal person, Hauwa Ibrahim, also commended the progress, noting that the campaign has seen great success. “In fact, some community members now come to us asking why their children haven’t been vaccinated yet,” she said.
She praised the collective efforts of all stakeholders and highlighted that most households marked during the campaign had been reached, with only a few cases of non-compliance remaining.
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