SNOW TV NEWS DESK
The Sokoto State Government has commenced a fresh polio immunization campaign across all 23 local government areas of the state, calling on parents, traditional rulers, and community leaders to support efforts to protect children against the potentially life-threatening disease.
The campaign, tagged as the Sub-National Immunization Plus Polio Campaign, was officially launched on Friday, November 6, at the palace of the District Head of Durbawa in the Kware Local Government Area.
Speaking at the launch, the Executive Chairman of Kware LGA, Ibrahim Attahiru Rugga, appealed to parents and traditional institutions to ensure that every eligible child receives the vaccine. He stressed the importance of community participation in preventing the spread of polio and protecting children’s health.
The District Head of Durbawa also urged residents to cooperate with vaccination teams and make their children available when health workers visit their communities.
However, concerns were raised at the event over funding challenges affecting polio eradication activities.
A representative of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) disclosed that reduced funding had limited the resources available for vaccination activities, making it increasingly difficult for stakeholders to provide adequate supervision and monitoring across all targeted locations.
The representative explained that the funding constraints had forced health partners to prioritize selected areas for monitoring and supervision across the country.
Despite these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Sokoto State’s efforts to eliminate polio.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, who represented the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruku Abubakar Wurno, assured stakeholders that the state government would continue to support the immunization exercise.
He appealed to parents, traditional rulers, and community leaders to work closely with vaccination teams to ensure that eligible children are not left out.
Similarly, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Bilyaminu Yari Sifawa, emphasized the need to reach every eligible child, noting that effective immunization depends on widespread participation and cooperation at the community level.
The latest campaign highlights Sokoto’s continued efforts to strengthen routine immunization and prevent the spread of polio, particularly among vulnerable children.
Health authorities say the success of the exercise will depend not only on the availability of vaccines but also on parental cooperation, community awareness, and sustained funding to ensure that no child is missed.
“Sir Bartholomew White Ebe is a Lagos-based media personality, Music Artist, Producer, and a Relationship Coach and independent journalist. With over seven years of experience tracking political developments and cultural shifts in Nigeria, he specializes in local current affairs, grassroots politics, and community-driven reporting across Lagos State. As the founder and chief editor of Snow Multimedia Connect {SNOW TV}, he leads the editorial team to deliver verified, high-impact stories to digital audiences.”
Email: snowmediaconnect@gmail.com
