The ongoing Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) vaccination campaign in Sokoto and Kebbi states has continued to record impressive turnout, entering its sixth day on Thursday, with thousands of children already vaccinated.
The exercise, which is being conducted in high-risk areas—including Jega, Gwandu, and Aleiro Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kebbi State, as well as Tambuwal and Shagari LGAs in Sokoto State—has received strong community support, except for a notable setback in Shagari, where a headmaster declined permission for his school to be used as a vaccination centre.
In Tambuwal LGA alone, over 277,200 children have been targeted for vaccination. So far, turnout has been encouraging at several designated centres.
Our correspondent, who was on the field to monitor the exercise, observed that 107 children were vaccinated at Government Day Secondary School, Shagari, on Thursday alone, with over 100 at Shehu Shagari Memorial Primary School, 240 at Nassarawa Tudu, and 175 at Nassarawa Rafi Primary School on the same day.
UNICEF, in collaboration with WHO and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), with funding from the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision, has been instrumental in supporting the vaccination response. The organisation is providing vaccines, cold chain logistics, waste management, and social mobilisation support.
Despite this coordinated effort, a challenge emerged at Horo Model Primary School in Shagari LGA, where the headmaster, Malam Abubakar Umar, reportedly rejected a formal request to conduct the vaccination within the school premises.
Nura Dandi Shagari, Area Health Mobilisation Officer, confirmed the development, noting that dialogue is ongoing, with efforts underway to convene an emergency meeting to resolve the issue.
While the Councillor of Horo claimed ignorance of the situation, he assured that investigations would be carried out to ensure the smooth continuation of the exercise.
Speaking on the success of the campaign, Tambuwal Immunisation Officer, Nuraddeen Abubakar, praised the community’s high level of compliance. He attributed the smooth rollout to effective advocacy and awareness campaigns, which helped secure widespread acceptance.
Abubakar acknowledged the vital support of UNICEF, government authorities, and other development partners in providing logistics, medical supplies, and mobilisation. He also commended the involvement of traditional rulers, community elders, and religious leaders across Tambuwal’s 12 wards, describing their participation as critical to the campaign’s success.
The origin of the meningitis outbreak was traced to Garin Alasan, a community bordering Aleiro in Kebbi State. It subsequently spread to Barkeji, Sanyinna, and Jabo, all towns along state borders.
The outbreak has so far resulted in over 198 confirmed cases, including the deaths of at least eight children, with 116 discharged, four referred to other facilities, and five patients reportedly absconding.
Chairman of Shagari LGA, Alhaji Maiwada Kajiji, commended the health authorities for conducting the campaign despite harsh weather conditions. He also applauded the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency for its role in organising the intervention.
Area Health Enlightenment Officer, Nura Shagari, reported that the vaccination teams have consistently exhausted their vaccine supplies before the end of daily sessions due to the large turnout, prompting requests for additional doses.
Vice Principal of Government Day Secondary School, Shagari, Malam Saidu Mudi, said the enthusiasm among students was remarkable, with many eagerly lining up to receive the vaccine despite the intense heat. He appealed to UNICEF to consider extending the duration of the campaign to reach more children.
Huzaifa Umar Shagari, Deputy Headmaster of Shehu Shagari Memorial Primary School, echoed similar sentiments, praising parents and guardians for supporting their children’s participation. With an enrolment of 379 pupils, he expressed gratitude to UNICEF and other stakeholders for spearheading the critical intervention.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then