By
Khadija Aliyu
The Kano State Task Force Committee on Immunization set up to eradicate the resurgence of polio type two virus Among under-five children, held its maiden meeting.
The co-chair, who doubles as the Kano commissioner for health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, explained that the state had revived the task force committee on immunization as well as the establishment of local governments and ward selection committees to achieve the desired objectives.
He attributed the resurgence of the type two polio virus in Kano to negligence by the immediate past administration of 2020- 2023, saying that other factors include migration, where under-immunized or zero-dose children from other states spread the disease through contact and environmental factors.
“most of the cases recorded were spread through contact with unimmunized or zero doses under-five children who migrated from other states”
“We will intensify the polio eradication campaign by immunizing those under 5 coming into the state at boarders and motor parks to eradicate the spread of the type 2 poliovirus.
The chief of UNICEF field office Kano Mr. Rahma Rihood Muhammad Farah said UNICEF is committed to supporting the state to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization.
He decried over the huge burden unimmunized children in Kano, saying that all hands must be on deck to stop the spread of the virus,
The Polio Outbreak Team Lead, Gates Foundation Andrew Stein hinted that, Kano has the highest number of resurgence cases of polio in the country.
He maintained that, Nigeria has a national team that is supportive but it will take the LGA, ward and settlement level to reach out to every child across communities.
“a campaign will he coming up in september October and November to interrupt the spread of polio in Nigeria this year”
In his presentation titled: update on polio eradication in Kano state and status of preparedness for the upcoming Sept. 2024OBR3nOPV campaign, the director general SPHCMB, Dr. Mohammed Nasir Mahmoud, explained that Kano has Recorded 20 cumulative cPV2 cases, 15 from acute flaccid paralysis AFP cases and five from environmental samples ES.
He said the most recent cases of cPV2 from AFP in Kano state are from Magami ward Sumaila LGA
“and most recent environmental sample of cPV2 in Kano state was collected from Hassan Gwarzo Lambu Bridge ES site Tarauni LGA”
Radio Nigeria reports that the task force committee is chaired by Kano state deputy governor Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, representative of the emir of Kano and all relevant stakeholders across MDAs in the state.
