Despite remarkable efforts and high-level community involvement in polio eradication, Sokoto state still accounts for 20% of Nigeria’s confirmed variant poliovirus cases, according to startling new data shared by the State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar.
The media dialogue was facilitated by and held at the UNICEF Office on June 12.
The Commissioner praised the April polio vaccination campaign as a major success story, thanks to strong collaboration across all levels of society, from the media to the First Lady of Sokoto, Fatima Aliyu, to traditional rulers, LGA Chairmen and their spouses, and the frontline health workers.
“Our collective action in April was inspiring,” said Dr. Abubakar. “But we must not relent. There are still five confirmed cases of variant poliovirus in Sokoto out of the 25 reported nationwide. This is a wake-up call.”
The Commissioner emphasized that Sokoto remains Nigeria’s highest-burdened state for “zero-dose children”, those who have never received a single vaccine dose, according to the 2023 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). This vulnerability, coupled with poor sanitation and high malnutrition rates, has made the state a hotspot for continued poliovirus transmission.
He warned that even a single case of polio threatens global health, due to the virus’s highly infectious nature.
“Globally, the oral polio vaccine (OPV) has reduced paralysis from poliovirus by 99.9%. Between 1988 and 2021, it prevented 24 million cases of childhood paralysis. But until we vaccinate at least 95% of children under five in every round, we will continue to see outbreaks.”
Dr. Abubakar took a firm stance against “fake finger marking”—a malpractice where health workers mark a child’s finger to suggest vaccination, even when the child hasn’t received the oral vaccine.
“This is a betrayal of public trust, and Sokoto State has zero tolerance for it,” he stressed. “We are committed to recruiting vaccination teams from local communities and ensuring transparency in all our campaigns.”
The Commissioner also commended several proactive LGA Chairmen, including those from Sokoto North, Sokoto South, and Wamakko, for leading by example during the April vaccination round.
“Some even used their own personal funds to support the campaign. That’s true leadership,” he noted, urging all LGAs to release counterpart funding on time ahead of the June vaccination round.
He called on LGA Chairmen and their spouses to organize public flag-offs in their jurisdictions to boost visibility and community participation.
The Health Commissioner urged fathers to allow vaccinators access to their households, and caregivers to present their children, even if previously vaccinated, for each round of the polio campaign.
“Many of us just returned from Hajj, where Nigerians are made to take the polio vaccine before entry. This is because Nigeria is still polio-endemic, while 99.9% of the world has already eliminated it,” he reminded.
He expressed deep gratitude to the Sultan of Sokoto, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the State Assembly, the ALGON Chair, and all other stakeholders for their continued support.
Dr. Abubakar concluded with a passionate appeal:
“Let us not rest until every child in Sokoto is vaccinated. Until the virus is eradicated completely, no child is safe—even those already vaccinated. Together, we can—and must—end the spread of poliovirus in Nigeria by 2025.”
The June polio campaign presents a critical window. Whether Sokoto becomes a success story or remains a hotspot depends on what happens next.
The UNICEF team in attendance at the Media Dialogue include Ibrahim Isa, Officer In Charge of
UNICEF Sokoto Field Office; Dr Claude Kacil Monj, SBC Polio team Lead, WCAR, Dakar Senegal; Priyanka Khanna, Communications Specialist (Polio) UNICEF Nigeria, Abuja, and Ojei Ifeanyi, Health Specialist, UNICEF Sokoto.
