Polio vaccine safe, Kano health commissioner insists

Kano indigenes have been reassured that the polio vaccine is safe hence the need for them to cooperate for the success of the ongoing campaign against poliomyelitis.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Yusuf, gave the assurance while supervising the ongoing exercise in Kunchi and Tsanyawa local government areas respectively on Monday.

It should be recalled that the state governor, Abba Yusuf, on September 28, 2024, flagged-off the 2024 polio OBR3 campaign in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area.

“The people need to appreciate the fact that when children are vaccinated, they get robust immune system that could fight and defeat diseases threatening their bodies.

“Diseases like diphtheria, measles, etc, are vaccine preventable diseases but are still with the people,” Labaran lamented.

In a press statement, the ministry’s Information Officer, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said
Labaran lamented that the non-compliance of the immunisation exercise by some people endangers the health indices of the state.

“The good people of Kano should rescind their decision by allowing their eligible children to get vaccinated, failure of which could lead to transmission of the diseases to the immediate neighbourhoods, communities and the state at large,” Yusuf pointed out.

Represented by the Director General, Private Health Institutions Management Agency, Prof. Salisu Ahmad, the commissioner lauded Tsanyawa LG for the full participation of the political class, traditional leaders, personnel of the health department and the teams on ground while also urging them to maintain the tempo till the end of the exercise.

He also commended Kunchi LG for its efforts in ensuring the success of the campaign with improved data generation, though with little observation in terms of coordination at the PHC level.

He called on the principal officers to sit together and harmonize the data they generate and work as a team in order to achieve the targeted objective in the area.

The commissioner, however, lamented the non-participation of the interim management officer by not attending the evening review meeting despite verbal pledge made for his attendance, advising him to brace up for mitigating any arising challenge.

Yusuf commended the state governor’s commitment to improving health indices of the state and giving special attention to the care of his people, further commending development partners for their immense support to the healthcare system of the state.