By Saheed Abiola
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has identified over 556,750 children in Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states who have never received a single dose of vaccination.
The organisation is however, calling for concerted efforts of all critical stakeholders toward strengthening routine immunization exercise especially in northern Nigeria.
Mr. Michael Banda, Officer-in-Charge of the UNICEF Field Office in Kano, made the call on Thursday at the Polio Media Dialogue held in Kano where journalists from Kano, Katsina and Jigawa were hosted.
Mr. Banda highlighted the collaborative efforts between UNICEF and the Kano State Government in organizing the orientation session, aimed at soliciting media support in mobilizing caregivers to ensure children’s participation in the vaccination campaign.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s historic achievement in 2020 when the country was certified Wild Polio Free by the World Health Organization (WHO), Mr. Banda acknowledged the collective efforts of government agencies, international organizations, religious leaders, and the media in reaching this milestone.
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Stressing the importance of routine immunization, particularly for children under five years old, Mr. Banda underscored its role in significantly reducing avoidable mortality and maintaining Nigeria’s polio-free status.
He expressed worry over the recent discovery of cases of circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2) in the trio states, therefore warning the stakeholders against the resurgence of the Wild Polio Virus (WPV) in the country if urgent actions were not taken.
“In 2023, there was an increase in the number of cVPD2 cases across the country with 5 states (Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Kano) contributing to about 88% (211 of 238) of the total cases in 2023.
“As the data show, in three states of Kano, Jigawa and Katsina, supported by the UNICEF Kano Field Office, we have over 556,750 children who have not received one single dose of vaccination they should have received.
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“These are referred to as zero dose children. Such children inexorably are vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, including poliomyelitis. This is unacceptable and must be tackled frontally.
“Not only is polio vaccination crucial, but all routine vaccinations are also critical to children’s survival.” He stated.
He emphasized that universal vaccination coverage is essential to protect children from the debilitating consequences of polio and other infectious diseases.
“Immunization has been proven to be the most cost-effective protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.
“Let’s all work together – government, development partners, religious and traditional leaders, communities, NGOs, CSOs and the media, to ensure that every Nigerian child under five is vaccinated to protect them from not just POLIO, but all other vaccine preventable diseases.” He said.
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Mr. Banda also stressed the need for Nigeria to strengthen its primary healthcare system and intensify routine immunization efforts to address the vulnerabilities of children to vaccine-preventable diseases.
He however, reaffirmed the UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the Nigerian government in strengthening primary healthcare systems under the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUR) policy.
Kano Govt. Blames Predecessor Over Abandoned Routine Immunization
On its part, the Kano State government through Dr. Mohammed Nasir Mahmoud, Director General of the Kano State Primary Healthcare Development Board, berated the immediate past administration for neglecting the routine immunization.
Dr. Mahmoud attributed the neglect to the recent cases of circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2) in the state, nothing that the current administration has started addressing the gap.
He however urged parents and guardians to make their under-five year old children available for the ongoing free polio immunization campaign in the state.
The state government had set up a multi-sectoral task force headed by the state deputy governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo to ensure total compliance and hitch free polio immunization campaign in the state.
