Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern over the rejection of the polio vaccine by about 3,000 households across Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States during the recently concluded immunisation campaign.
Speaking in Sokoto on Friday during activities marking the 2025 World Polio Day, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office, Mr. Michael Juma, described the development as a serious setback in the collective fight to eradicate the poliovirus from Nigeria.
Juma noted that although significant progress had been made in expanding immunisation coverage across the three states, resistance from a segment of the population continued to threaten the progress made so far.
He stressed that combating vaccine hesitancy remained a critical priority for UNICEF and its partners.
“We have just completed an integrated polio, measles rubella, and HPV vaccination campaign, reaching approximately 5.3 million children across Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States a truly commendable milestone,” Juma said.
“However, our challenge now is to ensure no child is left unprotected due to misinformation, fear, or parental refusal.”
He disclosed that UNICEF, in collaboration with state governments and other partners, was developing new community focused strategies to address resistance.
These, he said, include mobilising traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other influencers to rebuild trust and encourage parents to accept vaccination.
Juma commended the governments of Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States for their continued political will, improved coordination, and active surveillance systems.
He, however, urged them to intensify campaigns against misinformation, particularly in hard-to-reach and vaccine resistant areas.
He also appealed to the media to take a frontline role in public enlightenment through factual, consistent, and evidence based reporting.
“The media remains one of our strongest allies in shaping public perception, countering rumours, and ensuring every child receives life-saving vaccines,” he said.
The UNICEF official further emphasised the importance of youth participation in health campaigns, noting that young advocates have proven instrumental in influencing community attitudes toward immunisation.
“Youth advocacy is vital when young people lead by example, entire communities follow,” he remarked.
In his address, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Abubakar Wurno, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to sustaining a polio-free status.
He said the World Polio Day celebration served as a reminder that protecting every child from preventable diseases is a shared responsibility.
According to Dr. Wurno, the latest vaccination campaign achieved remarkable results, with 19 out of 23 local government areas in the state attaining over 90 percent coverage.
“We have made notable progress, but our goal remains full coverage every child, everywhere,” he declared.
He noted that Sokoto’s proximity to border communities continued to pose a risk of cross-border virus transmission.
However, he assured that surveillance systems and border health posts were being reinforced to prevent any resurgence of the virus.
Dr. Wurno added that the state had recently deployed 209 midwives to 109 primary healthcare centres and introduced a mandatory two-year rural posting policy for new health workers to strengthen service delivery at the grassroots.
“Our mission is clear to protect every child, sustain a resilient health system, and keep Sokoto polio-free,” he said.
This year’s World Polio Day was celebrated under the theme: “A Healthy Future for Every Child: Let’s End Polio Together.”
