Longtong Ibrahim
The Kano State Government in North-western Nigeria have targeted about 3.6 million children for vaccination following the outbreak and transmission of the Circulating Vaccine Drive Polio Virus Type 2 (cVDPV2) in 12 states of Abia, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Lagos, Niger, Rivers, Yobe and Zamfara as well as Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminu Tsanyawa, while briefing newsmen said106 cases of the virus were recorded across 25 local councils.
According to him, the ministry is unveiling the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) campaign to reduce mortality, with over N2.5 billion on both exercises, explaining that the integrated Outbreak Response (OBR1) and MNCHW campaigns would run concurrently within the stipulated time.
The commissioner also noted that the improved and genetically stable vaccine became necessary to attain the global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), adding that, the response with the vaccine to eradicate the virus was in line with the directives and guidelines from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Ministry of Health.
Tsanyawa further pointed out that the polio vaccination would run along with the distribution of Maternal and Newborn Child health intervention with the disbursement of Vitamin A supplement, deworming, nutritional assessment, and Free ANC drugs including hematinic sulphur dioxide pyrimethamine and LLIN targeted at over 600,000 mothers and children under five.
“Kano has equally concluded all arrangements to ensure a quality OBR1 across the state’s 44 local councils. The OBR1 activities started from Friday, January 7, 2022 with the Direct Observed Polio Vaccination (DOPV) while the house-to-house campaign will be flagged off on Sunday, January 9,” the commissioner added.