Katsina Aims to Immunize Three Million Children Through House-To-House Polio Initiative

The government of Katsina State has announced an ambitious plan to vaccinate three million children through a comprehensive house-to-house polio immunization campaign, aimed at combating vaccine-preventable diseases and reinforcing primary healthcare services.

During a mass mobilization discussion with journalists, social media influencers, and U-reporters, Dr. Shamsudeen Yahaya, the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Agency, revealed that the vaccination effort will take place from March 28 to 31, 2026.

Dr. Yahaya noted that this initiative, developed in collaboration with various development partners, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), forms a critical component of a wider strategy to enhance routine immunization rates across the state.

The campaign will primarily target children from birth up to five years old, with a particular emphasis on infants aged zero to nine months, who are the most at risk.

Trained health personnel will conduct door-to-door outreach, visiting schools, markets, and remote communities to ensure comprehensive coverage and prevent any eligible child from being unvaccinated.

Parents and guardians have been urged to assist the vaccination teams and utilize the free services being offered.

Dr. Yahaya emphasized that meticulous preparations have been made, including extensive training sessions for frontline health workers, community mobilizers, and volunteers involved in the campaign.

Additionally, specialized teams will be deployed to areas bordering other regions, marketplaces, and nomadic settlements, with supervisors designated at various levels to ensure the campaign is effectively monitored and holds accountability.

Labeling the immunization effort as a shared duty, he called for support from media professionals and social influencers to enhance awareness and boost mobilization initiatives.

He also outlined the ongoing investments in the state's primary healthcare infrastructure, highlighting the upgrade of over 200 health facilities, recruitment of additional healthcare staff, and the provision of essential resources such as solar power, water supplies, and ambulance services.

These initiatives are designed to facilitate continuous access to quality healthcare, especially for rural populations in the state’s 34 local government areas.

Dr. Yahaya reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving health outcomes for children via preventive actions like immunization, proper sanitation, and nutrition.

He expressed optimism that the campaign would substantially lower the incidence of polio and other diseases that can be prevented through vaccination.