Four households in Gwiwa Tungar Dole, Wamakko Local Government Area, Sokoto State, have refused to allow their children to receive oral polio vaccination during the ongoing house-to-house immunisation campaign.

The families, including those of Alhaji Buban Illela Mai Engine and Bashir Muhammad of Gwiwa Gurgawo, cited ongoing medical treatments elsewhere as the reason for rejecting the vaccines.

However, a community leader in the area, the Magajin Lugga Alhaji Yusuf Umar Lagaza, on Monday dismissed these claims as “flimsy excuses.”

He assured that the vaccination team would revisit the households in a fresh attempt to persuade them to comply.

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The vaccination exercise, backed by the Sokoto State government, UNICEF, and other development partners, targets full immunisation coverage, especially in areas previously identified with low compliance rates.

Lagaza reported significant progress in the exercise, noting high turnout in communities like Gwiwa Bela and Gwiwa Tungar Dole. He said teams are now covering areas including Gwiwa Gurgawo and Gwiwa Garkar Lagaza, urging continued community support.

He also advised parents to prioritise their children’s health by ensuring they receive the polio vaccine and by accessing other vital health services at designated centres.

The immunisation campaign ran from April 26 to April 29.