World polio day: UNICEF launches ‘No more zero dose’ song in Sokoto

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has officially launched and released a new song titled “No More Zero Dose” to help bring childhood immunization back on track.

The song brings together 12 of the region’s top musicians, eight of whom are from Nigeria, including UNICEF champions Cobhams, Ali Nuhu, Kate Henshaw, Master Soumy, Mawndoe, Omawumi, Qing Madi, Sakwouba Bambino, Spyro, Stanley Enow, Timi Dakolo, and WAJE, to send a clear message: every child deserves to be protected by vaccines.

It highlights the urgent need to reach zero-dose children — those who have not received any vaccinations — and protect them from preventable childhood diseases like polio, measles, and more.

Shortly after the launch, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Asabe Balarabe, lauded UNICEF and other partners for their commitment to ensuring every child in the state is immunized.

Balarabe assured that the state government would provide more support and mobilization to ensure every child is reached in every nook and cranny of the state.

She urged parents and other stakeholders in the state to cooperate and make their children available for vaccination to protect them from diseases like polio.

“Let us work together to ensure every child across the 23 local government areas receives the vital vaccines they deserve, to protect their future,” she noted.

Also in her remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Sokoto State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SSPHCDA), Dr. Larai Aliyu Tambuwal, emphasized that polio is a deadly disease that deprives a child of several rights to a normal life.

Dr. Tambuwal noted that while 116 countries have been affected by polio, only Nigeria, Indonesia, and Afghanistan are still battling the disease.

She called on various stakeholders to continue partnering with the state government to ensure the total eradication of polio across the 23 local government areas.

The Executive Secretary commended UNICEF for introducing the song, which reinforces the importance of effective collaboration to achieve zero-dose status among children, stating, “The music is a powerful tool to help change the narrative, and it sends a message that no child should be missed.”

ALSO READ:Refining of imported raw sugar dominates Nigeria’s $2bn sector market — NSDC

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State Ministry of Information and Orientation, Ibrahim Muhammad, advocated for increased collaboration, particularly with the media, to ensure the song reaches the target population.

He assured that his ministry is ready to broadcast the new song through various media platforms across every part of the state to ensure effective mobilization of parents to bring their children for immunization.

He further urged all relevant stakeholders to work together to achieve “no more zero dose” in the state.