Sokoto State has flagged off the Sub-National Immunisation Plus Polio Campaign across its 23 Local Government Areas, with the state government and development partners urging parents and community leaders to ensure all eligible children receive the polio vaccine.
The state-level flag-off was held on Friday at the Palace of the District Head of Durbawa in Kware Local Government Area.
The Executive Chairman of Kware LGA, Ibrahim Attahiru Rugga, in his welcome address, appreciated the state government and development partners for their support and called on traditional leaders and parents to ensure that eligible children are vaccinated.
The District Head of Durbawa also commended the Sokoto State Government and its development partners for their continued support for immunisation activities across the state. He urged residents to cooperate with vaccination teams.
Speaking at the event, a representative of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) raised concerns over declining funding for polio activities, saying available resources could no longer cover every location.
The representative said the funding constraints had made it necessary to prioritise some areas for supervision and monitoring across the country.
Representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Sokoto State’s efforts to eradicate polio.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, who represented the Commissioner for Health, Dr Faruku Abubakar Wurno, assured participants of the state government’s continued support for the campaign and urged parents and community leaders to cooperate with vaccination teams.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SSPHCDA), Dr Bilyaminu Yari Sifawa, outlined the objectives of the campaign and stressed the need to reach every eligible child.
The campaign was officially flagged off by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Faruku Abubakar Wurno.
The exercise brought together the state government, development partners, traditional institutions and other stakeholders in a renewed effort to strengthen polio prevention and protect children across Sokoto State.
