Sultan Flags Off Polio Immunisation as Sokoto Records 61 Cases of Variant Polio Virus

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Sokoto State has recorded 61cases of Poliovirus Type 2 (CVDPV2), which experts blamed on the inability of parents to avail their wards for immunisation and security challenges affecting the state.

This was disclosed by the Director of Disease Control Sokoto Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), Dr. Bilyaminu Sifawa.

Sifawa, who was represented by Mr. Bashar Garba, said that the outbreak of the CVDPV2 is a result of zero dose that is children that has not taking any dose since there were born.

According to him, the immunisation coverage of the state remained 12 percentages instead of 80 percentages according international standard.

He said: “Due to the security challenges also the state has the high number of polio cases in the country because of the inaccessibility of most of the rural areas.

On her part, UNICEF Health Specialist, Ms. Gloria Nwulu, said that the agency would try to reach out to all the children in the state for polio vaccination no matter the challenges.

Nwulu urged parents to avail their wards for immunisation stressing that the vaccines are safe and efficient.

She enjoined media practitioners to intensify their sensitisation and campaign against superstition and other barriers on immunisation.

Meanwhile Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has flagged off routine vaccination to tackle the resurgence of variant polio in the state.

The sultan, who was represented by the Waziri of Sokoto, Professor Wali Junaid, called on residents of the state to ensure that their wards were fully vaccinated during the exercise.

While commending the international agency, especially UNICEF, for their support in making vaccine available, the sultan said that “it is left for us to realise that we now have to find a way to deal with it on our own.

He said: “We have to create awareness on how to deal with the virus by mobilising our wards to take this vaccine, polio is real and we should note that.

“Prophet Muhammad in one of his sermons said that every sickness has remedy, which is same with polio.

“Any sickness without remedy does not exist, that is the word of our Holy Prophet.

“Elimination of polio is possible because some years back, the said polio was completely eradicated in the state and the country at large.

“It is unfortunate that our people did not take cleanliness very serious, some people still urinate along the streets which is bad.

“If we maintain cleanliness, we will not only eradicate polio but other diseases that are related to environment.” 

 In his remark, the Special Adviser on Primary Health Care Delivery Agency, to the State Governor, Mr. Bello Garba, said that it is unfortunate that the state is worst hit in the country.

Garba said: “I called on the people of the state, especially in this Sokoto North Local Government to tackle this menace.

“Sokoto State now has 61 new cases, the highest you can talk of in the country. We now have it within our place especially in this Sokoto North Local Government.

“I called on everyone here to please come out to receive this vaccine in the interest of the state. I appeal to every concerned authority including our father, Waziri of Sokoto, to as usual support us the way he normally does.”

Speaking on behalf of CSC AFNET, Dr. Abayowa Edukugbo, said that the agency is happy to be associated with the activities, “we called on our people to ensure that we all participate in this program starting from tomorrow.

“Our target is to reduce this variant by 80 percent by the end this year.”

UNICEF Health Specialist Representative, Mrs. Tessa Rintala, assured that UNICEF would do everything within its power to support the success of the programme in the state.

She commended the state government as well as Sultanate council for their efforts in making the program a success,. She however called on them to continue to encourage members of the public to fully participate in the routine exercise.