The World Health Organization, WHO, has renewed its commitment to supporting Kano state in the fight against polio.
The WHO Country Representative, Dr. WALTER Kazadi Mulombo stated this during the flag-off of the 2024 polio response outbreak campaign (OBR5), held at Tudun Wada local government area of Kano state.
Represented by WHO Kano State Coordinator, Dr. MAYANA Sanusi Abubakar expressed appreciation to Governor Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf for providing enabling environment to WHO and other partners to provide the needed technical and financial support to end polio outbreak in the state.
He highlighted that, to ensure quality implementation and adherence to the SOPs and Guidelines, WHO deployed 484 Field Volunteers, 684 Enhanced Independent Monitors, 45 Local Government Facilitators, 19 Assistant Public Health Officers.
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“And 6 Management Support Team to provide technical support to the vaccination team and ensure no child is missed.”
Dr. Kazadi also re-iterated that polio viruses of any type have no hiding place in Kano, from urban to rural areas, hardest to reach, and nomadic settlements.
“WHO is there to provide technical supportive supervision to ensure all eligible children are reached with 2 drops of nOPV2 vaccine”.
Speaking on zero dose children, the county representative said WHO renewed its commitments to compliment Kano state government’s efforts to reach over 280,000 children that have never been vaccinated with life-saving vaccines through strengthening Primary Healthcare Services Delivery.
“And particularly Routine Immunization, aimed at reducing the burden of vaccine preventable diseases in Kano state.”
Speaking at the launching, the Kano state Deputy Governor, who doubles as the Chairman Kano State Task Force on Polio Immunization, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, explained that, the present administration under Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf considers polio era a top priority.
“KNSG is working round the clock to ensure quality healthcare delivery across the 44 local government areas”.
Represented by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, Comrade Gwarzo noted that the campaign is very critical as Tudun Wada local government has the highest number of polio cases in Kano state this year.
He described polio disease as deadly that causes paralysis and even death sometimes, adding that it could be prevented through immunization.
“It is a serious disease that can be transmitted through food or water”.
He explained that Kano state government is working relentlessly in collaboration with the federal government and development partners to ensure children are adequately protected from the bodage of polio.
