KUMBOTSO, Kano State – The Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State has commenced an emergency vaccination exercise following the detection of poliovirus in a child in Challawa Ward.
Channels Television reported that the exercise was launched after health officials raised concerns about possible transmission to other children and communities.
The council’s Vice Chairman, Sulaiman Dauda Basarake, led a stakeholders’ meeting on the outbreak and said the council would work with health officials to ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated.
The Head of the Primary Healthcare Department, Lawan Ahmad Getso, urged traditional, religious and community leaders to mobilise residents and support the vaccination exercise.
LGA Facilitator Naziru Sani said the detection of one infected child could indicate that other people were carrying the virus without showing symptoms.
He therefore urged parents to allow their children to receive the vaccine, stressing that community participation would be necessary to interrupt transmission.
A Cluster Consultant with the World Health Organisation, Dr Mukhtar Ali, said the affected child had received routine vaccinations, including polio vaccines, more than once.
He explained that some children can carry the virus without displaying symptoms, making vaccination of all eligible children important in preventing further transmission.
Health Councillor Haruna Shera commended health workers for their efforts during the vaccination exercise.
Basarake said the council chairman and councillors would personally participate in the exercise to help ensure that no eligible child was missed.
He also disclosed that the council had previously ordered the closure of a school in Na’ibawa Ward after its head allegedly resisted the vaccination of pupils.
The vice chairman warned vaccination workers against falsifying records or wasting vaccines and urged them to carry out their responsibilities honestly.
He added that the council would consider requests raised during the stakeholders’ meeting and take necessary measures to support the emergency vaccination exercise.
