Health

Kano govt threatens action against parents refusing polio vaccination

Published

3 months ago

April 28, 2025

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has warned parents against refusing polio vaccination for their children, vowing firm action anyone obstructing the ongoing immunisation campaign.

The governor, represented by his deputy, Comrade Abdulsalam Gwarzo, issued the warning on Monday at the flag-off of the first round of the 2025 polio vaccination exercise held in Warawa Local Government Area.

The campaign follows the recent detection of three new polio cases in Warawa, Bunkure, and Nassarawa LGAs, prompting urgent efforts to contain the virus. Governor Yusuf revealed that investigations showed some families were refusing to present their children for immunisation, thereby endangering lives and risking a wider outbreak.

“There is no religious justification for rejecting vaccines,” Yusuf said, citing Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, and Indonesia that have successfully embraced vaccination and eliminated polio.

“This is not about religion—it’s about the love and care you have for your child,” he added.

The governor urged parents across the state to cooperate fully to ensure their children are immunised before the campaign’s deadline in December, stressing the government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare and protecting public health.

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Labaran Yusuf, highlighted the challenge posed by the influx of immigrants into the state. He assured that mechanisms are in place to ensure that all children, whether born in Kano or recently arrived, are vaccinated and documented.

Also addressing the gathering, the Chief of UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, Mr. Michael Banda, emphasised Kano’s crucial role in the global fight against polio.

“The polio vaccine is safe and effective. It has reduced polio cases by 99.9% since 1988. But the threat remains—just one case can cause a resurgence,” Banda warned.

He reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Kano State in reaching every child and deepening community engagement to ensure the campaign’s success.

The Kano State Government has intensified public awareness campaigns and community outreach as it works with partners to achieve full vaccination coverage and eradicate polio.

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Health

I Went to a Health Center in Abia, Got Free Medical Tests, Free Diagnosis, Free Drugs

Published

1 week ago

July 8, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Because I have confidence in the standard of healthcare our government is providing in Umuahia South and Abia in general, I went to one of our health centers for treatment.

Test was done free and drugs were given free.

The new Abia is here.

Dr Alex Otti, we proud of you.

Enyinnaya Nwosu

Health

Nigeria records 145 Lassa fever deaths in 2025

Published

3 weeks ago

June 27, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 145 deaths from Lassa fever in 2025 as the country continues to battle the viral hemorrhagic disease across 18 states.

According to the latest situation report released on Friday by the NCDC for epidemiological week 24 (June 9–15), Nigeria recorded 766 confirmed cases from 5,678 suspected infections.

The case fatality rate stood at 18.9 per cent, up from 17.6 per cent during the same period in 2024.

The agency said that the states most affected were Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi, which accounted for 91 per cent of the confirmed cases.

It said that Ondo alone contributed 31 per cent making it the epicentre of the outbreak.

In spite a decline in new confirmed cases — down to eight from 11 the previous week — the Nigerian public health agency said that health authorities remained concerned about the high fatality rate.

The agency said that this was driven by late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour, and unsanitary living conditions in high-burden communities.

According to it, efforts to contain the outbreak have included the deployment of Rapid Response Teams to 10 states, risk communication, environmental sanitation campaigns, and training of health workers in high-risk areas.

The NCDC also de-escalated its Incident Management System to alert mode while integrating Lassa fever messages into wider disease awareness campaigns.

The agency has appealed to the public to avoid contact with rodents and to seek prompt medical care at designated treatment centres at the first sign of symptoms such as fever, headache, or bleeding.

The agency continues to urge Nigerians to maintain hygiene, report symptoms early, and avoid contact with rodents and their secretions.

“The public is also encouraged to follow NCDC advisories and utilise the toll-free line 6232 for inquiries,” it said.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with the urine or faeces of infected rats.

It can also spread from person to person through bodily fluids, contaminated objects, or infected medical equipment.

Symptoms include fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, muscle pain, and in severe cases, bleeding from the body openings.

Health

Polio immunization: Sensitization campaign helped us to overcome resistance in Kano – Educator

Published

3 weeks ago

June 25, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Health Educator of Warawa Local Government Area (LGA) in Kano State, Bello Jafaru, says community sensitization and strong support from traditional leaders helped them overcome vaccine resistance in the just-concluded polio immunization campaign.

In an interview with Daily Post, Jafaru revealed that the campaign targeted 57,754 children in the local government, but they were able to immunize 59,391 children, surpassing the target.

“We did massive sensitization before the campaign. We held advocacy meetings, taskforce meetings, and town hall meetings with stakeholders. We explained the challenges we had in the previous campaign and what we needed from them to avoid repeating vaccine resistance.”

He recalled that in a previous round of polio vaccination, some parents in one of the wards, ( Jigawa ward) resisted the vaccine until traditional leaders stepped in.

“We had to do community dialogue in that settlement. The people told us their concerns, and we listened. That helped us solve the problem,” he added.

Jafaru said the recent campaign also faced challenges.

He gave instances where a woman refused to allow her children to be vaccinated.

“But thanks to our non-compliance committee and the support of traditional leaders, we were able to resolve it. The committee first spoke to her, and when that didn’t work, the Hakimi instructed that she and her children be brought for immunization.”

He explained that the non-compliance committee is made up of representative from each ward, including health workers and community influencers.

“They are doing their best. They were the ones who convinced the woman before involving the traditional ruler,” he said.

Jafaru advised parents to take polio immunization seriously.

“It is free, safe, and protects children from polio and other diseases. Parents should take their children to the health facility to be vaccinated,” he said.

This comes as the Kano State Government, in collaboration with UNICEF, continues its campaign to ensure that no child in the state suffers from polio by December 2025.