Polio vaccination: Jigawa traditional leaders promise support for acceptance

…achieves polio vaccine for 2 million children

The Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Muhammad Hamim Nuhu, has pledged to support the ongoing polio immunisation exercise in Jigawa State, aimed at vaccinating about 2 million children.

The Emir made the commitment while launching the polio vaccine exercise organized by the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA).

“We will not approve of something that will harm you because you’re our pride, so anything we bring to you, I believe is something that will help all of us together,” the Emir said, assuring the people in his domain that the polio vaccine is safe and healthy.

The Emir’s support comes as a boost to efforts to eliminate the polio virus in the state, which had been declared polio-free in 2013 but has recently experienced some variants of the virus.

The state government, with the support of UNICEF, is targeting 2 million children under five years of age across 27 local government areas over four days.

The exercise is being carried out using house-to-house teams and fixed posts in each of the 287 political wards in the state.

Dr Lukman of UNICEF emphasized the importance of immunisation, noting that “together, we have made incredible progress.

Simply by being immunised, you help to protect others from the spread of disease, just as they help to protect you. We can stop outbreaks and eradicate polio.”

UNICEF has called on the Jigawa State government to declare a state of emergency on polio and routine immunisation and commit to releasing state counterpart funding to support the effort.