By Atoyebi Nike
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Sokoto State Government have renewed their joint commitment to eradicating the poliovirus in Nigeria’s northwest, pledging stronger community mobilisation and surveillance to reach every child.
Speaking during the commemoration of World Polio Day 2025 in Sokoto, Mr. Michael Juma, UNICEF Chief of Field Office for Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States, said recent immunisation campaigns achieved “remarkable” results, covering 5.3 million children across the three states a 120 percent reach.
“However, about 3,000 households remain non-compliant. Our task now is to reach them through trusted local voices and continued political support,” Juma said.
He praised the state governments for their “strong political commitment and active surveillance systems” and urged the media to counter misinformation and boost vaccine confidence.
Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Faruku Wurno, said over 1.57 million children were vaccinated during the last campaign, surpassing the 1.4 million target a 160 percent success rate.
“Nineteen out of twenty-three local government areas achieved above 90 percent coverage,” he said, crediting Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s leadership and partner agencies such as WHO, UNICEF, and APIN for their support.
Dr. Wurno, however, cautioned that border communities still pose a risk of transmission, calling for sustained vigilance and routine immunisation.
World Polio Day, marked annually on October 24, celebrates global progress toward eradicating the disease and underscores the importance of ensuring every child is vaccinated.
