The First Lady of Sokoto State, Hajia Fatima Ahmed Aliyu, has flagged off the 2025 Oral Polio Vaccination (OPV) Campaign, reaffirming the state’s commitment to the health and survival of its children.
The campaign aims to protect children under five from polio and other preventable diseases.
The First Lady described the campaign as a “life-saving mission” and a “public health movement,” emphasizing the critical importance of the oral polio vaccine as a simple, safe, and effective means to a polio-free future.
She commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto for his unwavering support to the health sector and development partners for their consistent dedication.
The State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Faruku, acknowledged the persistent challenges that have allowed polio to linger in some areas, stressing the need for collective action to ensure success.
He warned that one infected child could spread the virus to over 200 others, urging families not to “fold their arms while children become crippled when we have the means to stop it.”
The campaign targets all eligible children aged 0-59 months across the state’s 244 wards, with a renewed focus on areas with high rates of non-compliance, including Wamakko, Sokoto South, and Sokoto North.
Representatives of development partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, pledged continued support, calling on all stakeholders to ensure every child is reached.
The Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency stressed the need to remove Sokoto from the national polio “blacklist” through collective action.
As the 2025 OPV campaign gains momentum, all eyes are on communities, leaders, and families to come together for one shared goal: a polio-free Sokoto State.
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