By Seyi Odewale
Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has reiterated his administration’s commitment to partner with the Federal Government to eradicate circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus in Kano.
Yusuf indicated readiness to collaborate with the Gates Foundation and Aliko Dangote Foundation to check the lapses in the fight against the virus.
A statement yesterday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, said Yusuf committed while receiving the coordinating Minister of Health and Social Development and representatives of the two foundations on courtesy at the Government House in Kano.
Yusuf, represented by Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Faruq Umar Ibrahim, disclosed that the partnership becomes pertinent at a time when his administration is committed to improving the health of the Kano population.
He reminded me that while the administration celebrates successes recorded within a short period of stay, he is not unaware of the challenges in the healthcare system, including polio and maternal and newborn mortality.
Yusuf vowed to redouble efforts on far-reaching immunization programmes to capture missing children, strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers, and improve supply chain management to achieve overall goals.
He added that his administration has restored counterparts’ funding for routine immunization to cover the zero-dose inherited from the immediate past government and sustain investment in the Primary Health Care system.
Earlier, the Coordinating Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, applauded the state government’s investment in health and expressed readiness to collaborate with development agencies to eradicate poliovirus in Kano state.
Pate hinted that despite the efforts, the resurgence of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus and fake finger marking of children during immunization campaigns in Kano is threatening the success recorded in the last 10 years.
He said the state government must ensure the proper selection of a working immunization team and monitor the work closely while calling for the involvement of traditional leaders and relevant agencies to achieve total eradication.
The Minister also indicated the Federal government’s commitment to supporting Kano with the supply of vaccines, emergency transportation, and free treatment of emergency cases for pregnant mothers.
In his remark, the President, Global Development of the Gates Foundation, Dr. Chris Elias reminded the gathering that the Foundation signed an MoU with the Kano state government in 2012 to help eradicate the polio virus and strengthen routine immunization.
“We are now back to fight the circulating vaccine-derived polio virus 10 years after we had recorded the last case of wild polio virus in Kano,” said Dr Chris of the Gates Foundation
