***UNICEF Demands Emergency Action as 2M Children Set for Vaccination
By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
After a decade-long victory against polio, Jigawa State is now on high alert.
Two new cases of the disease have been confirmed in Hadejia and Sule Tankarkar, forcing the government and its partners to scramble for containment through mass immunization.
The discovery has rattled public health authorities, with UNICEF sounding the alarm over what it describes as a troubling sign of weakening routine immunization coverage.
“This is a deadly setback. Polio is a highly infectious disease and it spreads fast. These cases must be a wake-up call,” said Dr. Serekeberehan Seyoum Deres, UNICEF Health Manager, speaking on behalf of the Kano Field Office Chief, Rahama Rihood Farah, at a media dialogue in Dutse.
UNICEF has called on the Jigawa State Government to immediately declare a state of emergency on polio and routine immunization, and to release state counterpart funds to support the effort.
It also urged all 27 LGA chairmen to make similar financial commitments, conduct high-profile flag-offs, and work with traditional rulers to mobilize public support for the upcoming campaign.
“The virus is here, and if we don’t act fast, it could spread across communities,” Dr. Seyoum warned.
To confront the threat, the Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency has announced a statewide polio immunization campaign, targeting 1.9 million children with 2 million vaccine doses already secured.
The campaign will run from April 24 to 30, mobilizing over 50,000 ad-hoc workers organized into more than 3,000 three-person teams to cover every corner of the state’s 287 political wards.
“We’re deploying to schools, markets, and even border communities to ensure no child is missed,” said Dr. Hassan Shu’aibu Kwalam, Director of Primary Health Care Services.
Despite the urgency, health officials are grappling with persistent resistance driven by political interpretations and misinformation. In the February immunization round, seven children were left unvaccinated due to noncompliance in areas like Garki, Maigatari, and Kaugama.
“Some parents reject vaccines due to political rumors. This is dangerous,” said Dr. Shehu Ibrahim, State Emergency Routine Immunisation Coordinator (SERICC). “We must separate politics from public health.”
UNICEF emphasized the role of the media in combating myths and disinformation, and urged journalists to help spread accurate, science-based messages about vaccines.
As the world prepares to mark World Immunization Week, UNICEF is also advocating for increased investment in HPV vaccines to fight cervical cancer, alongside efforts to strengthen routine immunization nationwide.
“This is not just about stopping a virus. It’s about ensuring that no child dies from a preventable disease,” Dr. Seyoum concluded. “Vaccines work. But only if we deliver them—everywhere, to everyone.”
