The Jigawa State government has completed preparations for a large-scale polio vaccination campaign to reach 1.5 million children across the state.
This announcement was made during a UNICEF-organised media dialogue ahead of the exercise. Dr. Shehu Sambo, Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Board, shared the details through the board’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Zakariyya Shehu, who represented him at the event.
The campaign is scheduled to run from November 29 to December 2, 2025, and will cover all 27 local government areas of the state.
According to Dr. Sambo, the state has received its full vaccine allocation from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and has finalised distribution plans based on population needs.
He added that the necessary workforce has been mobilised, with ad-hoc personnel organised into teams under the supervision of state and local government officials. Beyond the house-to-house teams targeting children aged 0 to 5, rapid response units have also been set up to address potential emergencies.
All monitoring and coverage-tracking systems are in place, he noted.
Dr Sambo emphasised the importance of community involvement, noting that community leaders, civil society groups, and volunteers have been engaged to support the campaign. The media dialogue, he said, serves as a reminder of the media’s vital role in public awareness and demand creation.
Ahama Farah, Chief of the UNICEF Field Office in Kano, highlighted the campaign’s national importance, noting that over 42 million children are expected to be reached during the first and second phases of Nigeria’s 2025 polio immunisation effort. He reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting Jigawa and ensuring that no child is left out.
The forthcoming exercise represents another significant step in maintaining Nigeria’s polio-free status and strengthening immunity among children nationwide.
