Katsina Vaccinates Over 2.9 Million Children Against Polio

The Katsina State Government has said it has vaccinated 2.954 million children against polio during the March 2026 campaign across the 34 local government areas of the state.

The Executive Secretary of the state’s Primary Healthcare Agency, Dr. Shamsudeen Yahaya, revealed this Wednesday during a media briefing and mass mobilization dialogue held ahead of the April 2026 Outbreak Response (OBR2) campaign.

He said the March polio eradication campaign recorded wide coverage across all the local government areas, 361 wards, and settlements through a combination of house-to-house, fixed post, and special team strategies.

Despite the success recorded during the March campaign, the executive secretary noted that some challenges were encountered, particularly in areas of non-compliance and tracking of missed children.

Yahaya said: “During the March 2026 campaign, we implemented targeted strategies focusing on high-risk and non-compliance areas across the State. I am pleased to share that: Over 2.954 million children were reached and vaccinated.

“Despite these achievements, there were challenges of persistent non-compliance in some communities, missed children due to absence or poor follow-up systems, gaps in data reporting and real-time tracking, as well as the need for stronger community engagement and localized messaging were identified.”

On the April polio campaign, Yahaya said the state government aims to surpass the March performance by ensuring that every eligible child is vaccinated, especially in newly identified and high-risk populations.

He reiterated that the state has deployed 3,761 house-to-house teams, 993 special teams, and 361 fixed post teams, while over 3.39 million doses of nOPV2 vaccines have already been secured and distributed across local government areas.

He stressed that beyond logistics, the success of the campaign depends heavily on effective communication and public trust, calling on media practitioners and digital influencers in the state to play a central role.

“We are in an era where information travels fast and unfortunately, so does misinformation. We need you (journalists) to amplify accurate, timely, and culturally appropriate messages, help build trust in vaccines, and counter myths with verified facts”, he added.

He urged stakeholders to use their platforms to reach caregivers in underserved and resistant communities, noting that their influence could shape decisions in households beyond the direct reach of health workers.