Kano to vaccinate 3.4m children in fresh polio drive

Health authorities in Kano State will begin a new round of polio immunisation on May 2, 2026, targeting more than 3.4 million children across the state’s 44 local government areas.

Deputy State Immunisation Officer at the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Muhammad Hassan Nambapa, said the four-day campaign will use the novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV) for children aged zero to five years.

“Teams will be deployed across communities to ensure no child is left unvaccinated.

“After the initial four days, we’ll run two extra days of mobile outreach to capture missed children,” Nambapa said.

The campaign will adopt a house-to-house strategy and extend to public places such as markets and schools to maximise coverage.

A key focus is reaching “zero-dose” children — those who have not received any routine immunisation, including the first pentavalent vaccine dose, the authorities said.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) said the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) will provide strategic oversight, real-time monitoring, and rapid response to gaps.

“We’re relying on data-driven strategies to tackle non-compliance and missed settlements,” a representative said.

UNICEF and Rotary International are supporting logistics, implementation, and community engagement.

Officials flagged non-compliance, often driven by misinformation, as a lingering challenge. However, targeted interventions and resolution teams resolved about 94% of such cases in previous rounds. Traditional and religious leaders will be engaged to build trust and counter vaccine hesitancy.

The health authorities urged parents and caregivers to present their children for vaccination, stressing that immunisation remains one of the most effective ways to stop poliovirus transmission and protect child health.