Kano govt targets 3.6 million children for polio vaccination

Kano State Government is set to immunise about 3.6 million children against poliomyelitis in the forthcoming 2024 OBR4 campaign.

The state commissioner for health and the Co-Chair State Taskforce Committee on Immunisation, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, made this known during a committee meeting at the Africa House, Government House, Kano.

Dr Labaran emphasised that the main objective of the meeting is to inform the public and remind stakeholders of the upcoming polio campaign, starting Saturday (tomorrow), for proper and adequate preparedness.

According to him, it is customary that whenever there is going to be a round of campaigns like this, stakeholders get together to map out strategies for the successful conduct of the activity and thereafter convey the message to the public to bring out their children to access the services.

He therefore appealed to people to make good use of the opportunity to ensure that their eligible children are vaccinated to achieve the target objective of eradicating polio from the state by extension from the country.

Dr Labaran however, said that to fine-tune the exercise, awards have been introduced among local government areas to sort out the best four that excel during the campaign.

He stated that the award is aimed at sensitizing and gingering up the stakeholders to keep up with the standard and the good work they were doing in ensuring the campaign is successful in the entire state, thereby inducing each LGA to aspire to win the trophy.

Dr.Labaran then commended the state governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for supporting health services since coming on board, appreciating his compassion and high-mindedness to the care of the people of the state at all levels.

He also commended His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Dr Muhammad Sanusi II, for his support to eradicate polio in the state by directing the involvement of the district heads in activities that have a direct bearing on the health of the people in their localities.

He also appreciated the development partners who were putting their efforts and resources into seeing that the healthcare system of the state is robust and standardized.

Dr Labaran then used the opportunity to congratulate the newly elected local government chairmen and enjoined them to accord polio eradication and other health activities with topmost priorities, being one of the cardinal principles of the state Governor, as contained in his blueprint.