The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urgently called on the Kano State Government to declare a state of emergency on the outbreak of new variants of the polio virus to avert a recurrence of the disease and prevent further damage to the country’s image.
This comes as “Kano has recorded four cases of the new polio variants in Bunkure, Warawa, and Kano Municipal.”
Making this known during a media dialogue on Thursday in Kano, the Chief of the UNICEF Field Office, Mr Rahama Rihood Muhammad Farah, warned that disinformation and misconceptions about the disease were undermining the fight against polio.
He therefore emphasised that Kano must intensify efforts to meet the December 2025 deadline for total eradication by demonstrating stronger commitment, ensuring timely release of funds, and providing accurate information about vaccination efforts.
However, “UNICEF reiterates its call to the government to take urgent action and declare a state of emergency on variant polio eradication,” Farah said. “This includes the timely release of funding, serious commitment from all stakeholders—including state and local governments—and the involvement of religious leaders.”
He urged local government chairpersons to fulfil their responsibilities by doubling efforts to ensure the complete eradication of polio in their communities.
Mr Farah emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to eradicate polio in Kano State and Nigeria as a whole.
During the engagement, he emphasised the role of the media in disseminating accurate information on polio and mobilising families to accept vaccines.
Mr Farah also urged the media to focus attention on the challenge of non-release, delayed release, or lack of utilisation of government counterpart funding for polio vaccination campaigns and routine immunisation programmes.
The organisation reiterated its commitment to working with the Kano State Government and other stakeholders to eradicate polio and improve children’s survival.
The organisation emphasised that vaccines are available, safe, and effective, and that a future free from vaccine-preventable diseases like polio is possible with collective effort.
Speaking in the same vein, the Director General of the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Dr Muhammad Nasiru Muhmud, assured that the state is on track to eliminate the variant polio virus by the December 2025 deadline.
Dr Nasiru disclosed that Ungogo Local Government Area remains the highest in non-compliance with vaccination efforts, while security challenges have been reported in Sumaila, Doguwa, Kunchi, and Tsanyawa LGAs.
According to him, “Kano has recorded four cases of the new polio variants in Bunkure, Warawa, and Kano Municipal.”
He stated, “This is why we are flagging off an intensive vaccination campaign starting in Bunkure. I assure you that we will meet the December deadline.”
He added that in this second round of the campaign, the state is targeting 3.9 million children under five for vaccination.
“The campaign will run from June 14 to 18 in Bunkure, after which it will be extended to all 44 local government areas in Kano. It’s also important to note that all 19 northern states will simultaneously launch similar vaccination campaigns to help Nigeria meet the eradication goal,” Dr Nasiru added.
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