Dr. Husaini Yakubu, Executive Secretary of the Zamfara Primary Healthcare Board, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment, alongside partners, to eradicating polio in Zamfara.
Yakubu made the remarks during the 2025 World Polio Day celebration held on Saturday at the Emir of Gusau’s Palace in Gusau.
The event was attended by polio survivors, government officials, and representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), among others.
Yakubu described the active participation in polio and rubella vaccination efforts by stakeholders as a positive development. He attributed the successes in the state’s fight against polio to the strong collaboration between the government and its partners.
He commended Governor Dauda Lawal for declaring a state of emergency in the health sector, noting that measures taken by the government and support from stakeholders have contributed significantly to maintaining the state’s polio-free status.
“In spite of challenges such as insecurity, Zamfara has maintained its polio-free status. We will continue to collaborate with partners and all stakeholders to ensure children in the state are strongly protected from killer diseases,” Yakubu said.
He further emphasized the government’s commitment to providing the necessary counterpart funding for various healthcare development programs.
In his remarks, the Emir of Gusau, Abdulkadir Ibrahim-Bello, represented by the Emirate Secretary, Sambo Sambo, pledged continued support for polio eradication.
The Emirate will continue mobilizing religious and community leaders to promote polio vaccination, engage communities on the health benefits of vaccination, and support government efforts to maintain the successes achieved.
“We are seeing greater acceptance of polio and measles vaccination among parents and communities. Our people are responding positively to initiatives, following directives from the emirate, which has contributed to the successes recorded,” Ibrahim-Bello said.
