Sokoto Health Commissioner Canvasses Continued Efforts in Polio Eradication After Recording 5 Cases

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

Sokoto State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, said all hands must be on deck till poliomyelitis is eradicated from the state.

The commissioner made the disclosure on Thursday at the media dialogue organized by ministry of health in collaboration with UNICEF to sensitize the people of the state ahead of vaccination flag off tomorrow across the state.

“As Commissioner of Health, I am proud to acknowledge the remarkable efforts and high-level community involvement in polio eradication in Sokoto State. However, despite these efforts, our state still accounts for 20% of Nigeria’s confirmed variant poliovirus cases.

During a recent media dialogue at the UNICEF Office, I praised the April polio vaccination campaign as a major success story, thanks to strong collaboration across all levels of society.

But I also sounded a warning: “Our collective action in April was inspiring, but we must not relent. There are still five confirmed cases of variant poliovirus in Sokoto out of the 25 reported nationwide. This is a wake-up call.

“As Commissioner, I am deeply concerned that Sokoto remains Nigeria’s highest-burdened state for “zero-dose children”, those who have never received a single vaccine dose.

“I urge all stakeholders to continue their efforts in polio eradication, and I pledge to work tirelessly to ensure that every child in Sokoto State receives the vaccines they need to stay healthy and thrive.

“We owe it to ourselves, our children, and our communities to stay vigilant and committed to this critical public health goal.”

Abubakar took a firm stance against “fake finger marking” – a malpractice where health workers mark a child’s finger to suggest vaccination, even when the child hasn’t received the oral vaccine.

His words: “This is a betrayal of public trust, and Sokoto State has zero tolerance for it,” he stressed. “We are committed to recruiting vaccination teams from local communities and ensuring transparency in all our campaigns.”

The Commissioner also commended several proactive LGA Chairmen, including those from Sokoto North, Sokoto South, and Wamakko, for leading by example during the April vaccination round.

“Some even used their own personal funds to support the campaign. That’s true leadership,” he noted, urging all LGAs to release counterpart funding on time ahead of the June vaccination round.

He called on LGA Chairmen and their spouses to organize public flag-offs in their jurisdictions to boost visibility and community participation.

The health commissioner urged fathers to allow vaccinators access to their households, and caregivers to present their children, even if previously vaccinated, for each round of the polio campaign.

“Many of us just returned from Hajj, where Nigerians are made to take the polio vaccine before entry. This is because Nigeria is still polio-endemic, while 99.9% of the world has already eliminated it,” he reminded.

He expressed deep gratitude to the Sultan of Sokoto, the Deputy Governor, the Speaker of the State Assembly, the ALGON Chair, and all other stakeholders for their continued support.

“Let us not rest until every child in Sokoto is vaccinated. Until the virus is eradicated completely, no child is safe – even those already vaccinated. Together, we can – and must – end the spread of poliovirus in Nigeria by 2025.”

He said the June polio campaign presents a critical window and that whether Sokoto becomes a success story or remains a hotspot depends on what happens next.

The UNICEF team in attendance at the Media Dialogue include Ibrahim Isa, Officer-in-Charge of UNICEF Sokoto Field Office; Dr. Claude KacilMonj, SBC Polio team Lead, WCAR, Dakar Senegal; PriyankaKhanna, Communications Specialist (Polio) UNICEF Nigeria, Abuja, and OjeiIfeanyi, Health Specialist, UNICEF Sokoto.