Katsina Targets Three Million Children for House-to-House Polio Campaign

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State Government has targeted three million children in its house-to-house polio immunisation campaign as part of intensified efforts to eradicate vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthen primary healthcare delivery in the state.

At a mass mobilization dialogue with journalists, social media youth influencers and U-reporters on Monday, the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Agency, Dr. Shamsudeen Yahaya, said the vaccination campaign would commence on 28 to 31 March, 2026.

The campaign is being implemented by the state government in collaboration with key development partners, including United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and forms part of a broader strategy to boost routine immunisation coverage across the state.

Yahaya further disclosed the vaccination campaign will focus on children aged zero to five years, with special emphasis on those between zero and nine months who are most vulnerable.

He explained that the exercise, which will run for four days, involves trained health workers moving from house to house, schools, markets, and hard-to-reach communities to ensure that no eligible child is unvaccinated.

Admonishing parents and caregivers to open their doors to vaccination teams and take full advantage of the free, life-saving services, Yahaya said extensive preparations have been made, including the training of frontline health workers, community mobilisers, and volunteers.

Yahaya said: “Special teams have also been deployed to border areas, markets, and nomadic settlements, while supervisors have been assigned at various levels to ensure effective monitoring and accountability throughout the exercise.”

Describing the campaign as a “collective responsibility,” the executive secretary called on media practitioners, social media youth influencers and U-reporters to go beyond reportage by actively supporting public awareness and mobilisation efforts.

He further highlighted ongoing investments in the state’s primary healthcare system, including the upgrade of over 200 facilities, recruitment of additional health workers, and provision of essential infrastructure such as solar power, water supply, and ambulance services.

These efforts, he said, are aimed at ensuring 24-hour access to quality and efficient healthcare, particularly in rural and hard-reach communities across the 34 local government areas of the state.

He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to tackling malnutrition and improving child health outcomes through preventive and promotive healthcare practices such as exclusive breastfeeding, proper hygiene, and timely immunisation.

He stressed that beyond the immediate vaccination drive, the initiative represents a comprehensive public health approach that integrates nutrition services, treatment of minor childhood illnesses, and community sensitisation.

With renewed political will and partner support, the executive secretary expressed confidence that the campaign will significantly reduce the risk of polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases.