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UNICEF asks Kano to declare state of emergency on polio
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has advised Kano state government to declare a state of emergency on polio eradication.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Kano, Mr. Rahama Rihood Mohammed Farah, gave the advise during the June Media Dialogue on Polio and Routine Immunization, held on Thursday.
According to him, disseminating accurate information on polio is crucial to addressing disinformation, misinformation, rumors and myths, which are all preventing families from accepting the vaccine.
Farah maintained that there was need to tell families in Kano that vaccines are available, safe and effective.
He added that: “By doing so, the media will be helping to ensure that every child under five is vaccinated and protected against polio and other killing diseases.
“The June Polio Vaccination campaign coincides with the Day of the African Child, whose theme is focusing on Child-friendly budgeting.
“It is therefore very important to highlight the issue of the significance of adequate resources allocation to the fight against polio.
“So, while media deployment of its various channels to share accurate information about the polio and mobilize families to take the vaccine are important.”
UNICEF urged the media to focus attention on the challenge of non-release, delayed release or lack of utilization of Government Counterpart funding for polio vaccination campaigns and Routine Immunization programme.
Farah insisted that, “timely release of counterpart funding for polio vaccination campaign is important to reach every eligible child with the polio vaccine.
Polio remains a highly infectious disease with very deadly consequences for young children.
“One case of polio anywhere in Nigeria is a threat to children everywhere in Nigeria! We must all work together to eradicate polio in Kano state, with special focus on high risk LGAs including Warawa, Bunkure, Kano Municipal and Nassarawa LGAs.
“These are the LGAs where incidence of a variant of the polio virus has been noticed in 2025. This is unacceptable and must be halted!”
Farah urged Kano residents to remember that polio knows no boundaries, knows no borders Polio spreads fast – and an outbreak in any country puts children in every country at risk.
According to him, the outbreak of plio can be stopped and eradicated if every child is vaccinated.
He added that, “ending polio and improving children’s survival starts with making sure all children have access to vaccines.
“UNICEF reiterates its request to the Kano State government to take actions: to declare a State of Emergency on Polio and Routine Immunization including a commitment to take the leadership to resolve noncompliance issues, provide adequate supervision and timely release of adequate State Counterpart funding for Routine Immunization and polio vaccination campaigns. ”
In his remarks Dr Nasir Mahmoud, Director-General of the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, said Kano State Government has launched plans to vaccinate 3.9 million children under five years old.
He said the targeted vaccination is part of efforts to eradicate polio through the June 2025 Outbreak Response (OBR) vaccination campaign across the state.
Dr Mahmoud said the campaign aligns with the national strategy.
He explained that the aim was to stop polio transmission and uphold Nigeria’s polio-free status through coordinated immunisation efforts.
He also stressed the resurgence of the type 2 poliovirus in some areas of Kano.
According to him, factors responsible for the resurgence include community resistance, poor data reporting, and insecurity, which affected previous immunization rounds.
Ungogo LGA recorded the highest non-compliance in May 2025.
Dr Mahmoud appreciated Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s consistent support, especially the prompt release of counterpart funding.
He said LGAs were now being ranked monthly to track performance and motivate improved results in vaccination coverage.
Nura Abdullahi
The Kano State Government has intensified efforts to strengthen Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) and Family Planning (FP) services through improved primary healthcare delivery, recruitment of health workers, and community-based interventions across the state.
KKANO FOCUS reports that the Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, disclosed this during a media parley on MNCH and Family Planning organised by the Kano State Led Accountability Mechanism (KanSLAM) with support from Pathfinder International in Kano.
Dr Yusuf said the state government was implementing strategic programmes aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality, improving access to reproductive healthcare, and strengthening family planning services, particularly in underserved communities.
According to him, maternal, neonatal, and postnatal healthcare remain key priorities of the ministry because of their critical role in safeguarding the lives of women and children.
He explained that the government had continued to strengthen primary healthcare facilities across the state to ensure timely medical interventions for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children.
“One of the major things we are doing is strengthening activities within primary healthcare facilities so they can better handle emergencies and provide timely interventions,” he said.
The commissioner noted that many complications affecting women and newborns arise because some patients delay seeking medical attention, especially during prolonged labour.
He said the government was addressing the challenge through improved emergency response systems, training of healthcare workers, and increased availability of essential medications and maternal healthcare services at health facilities.
Yusuf further disclosed that arrangements were underway to recruit additional health workers to improve the delivery of maternal, newborn, child health, and family planning services across communities.
He added that healthcare workers and facility managers were also undergoing training to improve patient care, communication, and management of maternal and child health cases.
According to him, several local healthcare facilities are currently being upgraded and equipped to provide safer and more effective healthcare services at the grassroots level.
The commissioner revealed that the state government had visited about 300 clinics as part of monitoring, assessment, and intervention programmes aimed at improving maternal and child healthcare services across Kano State.
He stressed the importance of family planning in improving maternal and child health outcomes, noting that increased awareness and access to reproductive health services would help families make informed healthcare decisions.
Yusuf also highlighted the role of the media and community participation in promoting positive healthcare practices and improving public understanding of maternal health and family planning programmes.
“The media has an important role to play in helping to improve public understanding and strengthening community response to healthcare programmes,” he said.
He assured that the state government would continue collaborating with development partners, civil society organisations, and communities to strengthen maternal health and family planning services across the state.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project and other development partners in advancing education in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf gave the assurance while receiving the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, during a courtesy visit at the Government House in Kano.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mustapha Muhammad, Governor Yusuf said his administration would continue to collaborate with stakeholders and support initiatives aimed at improving education in Kano State.
“We will continue to collaborate and support every effort geared towards the development of education in Kano State,” the governor said.
He described the AGILE project as a beacon of hope that is strengthening the education sector through infrastructural development and support for teachers.
Earlier, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad informed the governor that Kano State had successfully secured the World Bank’s “No Objection” approval for the construction of 49 new schools under the AGILE project at a cost of ₦23 billion.
The minister disclosed that contractors handling the projects had already been mobilised to site, adding that the initiative would significantly expand access to education for underserved communities across the state.
She also commended the Kano State Government for the quality of projects being executed in schools, particularly those she inspected during her visit, and urged the AGILE project team to emulate the state government’s standards in project implementation.
The AGILE project is a World Bank-supported initiative aimed at improving access to secondary education and empowerment opportunities for adolescent girls across Nigeria.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, has commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, describing the intervention as a major boost to girl-child education in Nigeria.
KANO FOCUS reports that Professor Suwaiba made the remarks during an inspection visit to selected AGILE project sites in Kano State, including Government Girls College, Kano, and Government Girls Senior Secondary School (GGSS), Dukawuya.
She said the Tinubu administration remained committed to implementing policies and programmes aimed at improving the standard of education and expanding access to quality learning opportunities for adolescent girls across the country.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the quality of projects being executed under the World Bank-supported AGILE programme in Kano State, noting that the initiative would significantly improve educational infrastructure and learning outcomes.
While praising the standard of work at the project sites, she directed Principal and SBMC handling some of the projects to make necessary corrections where required in order to ensure durable and high-quality infrastructure.
Speaking during the visit, the National Coordinator of the AGILE Project, Hajiya Amina Buba Haruna, highlighted recent achievements recorded under the programme.
According to her, the World Bank-supported project is focused on improving access to education for adolescent girls through infrastructure development and empowerment initiatives.
On his part, the Kano State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ali Haruna Makoda, said the state government had continued to prioritise education through increased budgetary allocation and ongoing investments in the sector.
Makoda disclosed that since the declaration of a state of emergency on education in 2023, the sector has consistently received more than 30 per cent of the state’s annual budget.
He commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for sustaining investments aimed at improving learning environments and educational outcomes across the state.
The commissioner also appreciated the minister for visiting Kano State to inspect the ongoing AGILE projects and for her continued support toward the advancement of education in the state.
Earlier, the State Project Coordinator, Alhaji Mujittapha Aminu, disclosed that about 300 schools across Kano State would be renovated under the AGILE project.
He added that the state government also plans to construct 49 new girls’ schools across the 484 wards in Kano as part of efforts to strengthen access to education for girls.
Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf and Hajiya Amina Buba
As part of the visit, the Minister, accompanied by the National Project Coordinator of AGILE, Hajiya Amina Buba Haruna; the Commissioner for Education, Dr Gwani Ali Abubakar Makoda; the Project Coordinator, Alhaji Mujittapha Aminu; and the Head of the Project Financial Management Unit (HPFMU), Alhaji Aliyu Lawan, also met with Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to discuss the progress of the AGILE project in Kano State.
The AGILE project is a World Bank-supported initiative designed to improve secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls through enhanced infrastructure, increased access, and empowerment programmes.
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