Sokoto Polio Campaign:. Gagi district head commends government’s community engagement strategy
By Animasahun Salman
The district head of Gagi, Sokoto State, Alhaji Sani Umar, has commended efforts by the Sokoto State Government and its development partners to improve polio vaccination coverage, attributing the high level of acceptance in his community to sustained sensitisation and grassroots engagement.
Umar said collaboration between traditional institutions, government health officials and community members had helped address resistance to immunisation and encouraged parents to present their children for vaccination.
He explained that the success recorded in Gagi was largely driven by an inclusive governance approach that involved residents in discussions about government policies and public health programmes.
“We are practising inclusive community governance. Whenever we bring people together at community meetings, irrespective of their gender, religion, regional or political inclinations, they have a better understanding and become more willing to accept government policies and programmes,” he said.
The traditional ruler spoke during the ongoing polio vaccination exercise, while explaining how community leadership had contributed to the acceptance of the campaign.
He described immunisation as an important public health intervention that must receive the support of all stakeholders, stressing that protecting children against preventable diseases should be a collective responsibility.
“Every child needs to be protected from crippling or deadly diseases. Our responsibility as community leaders is to engage residents in dialogue until we convince them of the benefits of vaccination,” he said.
Umar said the community had continued to educate parents on the importance of immunisation, noting that preventing diseases through vaccination would save families the financial burden associated with medical treatment.
“Prevention is better than cure. The resources invested in prevention are far less than what families may spend when they take their children to hospitals for treatment.
“Instead of spending so much on healthcare, it is better to accept the simple drops of polio vaccine to protect children against crippling diseases,” he added.
He, however, urged the government to strengthen its engagement with traditional institutions across the state to replicate the level of acceptance recorded in Gagi, particularly in communities where resistance to vaccination remained a challenge.
According to him, the commitment and approach of traditional rulers could significantly influence residents’ attitudes towards government health interventions.
“The issue is leadership. Every leader has his own leadership qualities and style. The more you engage people in dialogue and embrace social inclusion in everything you do, the more you enjoy their support and confidence,” he said.
He appealed to traditional rulers to make their palaces more accessible to residents and maintain regular consultations with community members to understand their needs and challenges.
“I am appealing to my colleagues in traditional institutions to bring the people closer to their palaces so they can understand the situation in their communities and work together with residents to save lives and improve their well-being,” he said.
The call for stronger community participation comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to contain circulating poliovirus and protect children through supplementary immunisation campaigns.
At a media briefing organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Sokoto last week, the organisation’s Nigeria Polio Coordinator, Asnakew Tsega, disclosed that Nigeria had recorded between 68 and 69 cases of paralysis associated with two circulating poliovirus strains in 2026.
He said between 46 and 47 cases were linked to one strain, while another 21 cases were attributed to the second strain.
Tsega warned that even a single confirmed case of polio constituted an outbreak, given the highly infectious nature of the virus and its potential to cause permanent disability.
He urged parents to embrace repeated vaccination, explaining that children who had previously received polio vaccines still required additional doses during supplementary immunisation exercises.
The UNICEF official also emphasised the importance of reaching children in underserved and hard-to-reach communities, particularly those who had missed previous vaccination rounds.
UNICEF Sokoto Field Office Head, Michael Juma, called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, journalists and other stakeholders to ensure that every eligible child was vaccinated.
The ongoing November 7–11 vaccination campaign targets children below five years, with vaccination teams expected to visit households and other public locations to reach eligible children.
The campaign forms part of broader efforts by the government and development partners to interrupt poliovirus transmission and prevent new cases of childhood paralysis.
Umar said sustained government engagement with traditional institutions and community stakeholders would remain critical to achieving widespread acceptance of immunisation and protecting children across Sokoto State..
Sokoto Polio Campaign:. Gagi district head commends government’s community engagement strategy
By Animasahun Salman
The district head of Gagi, Sokoto State, Alhaji Sani Umar, has commended efforts by the Sokoto State Government and its development partners to improve polio vaccination coverage, attributing the high level of acceptance in his community to sustained sensitisation and grassroots engagement.
Umar said collaboration between traditional institutions, government health officials and community members had helped address resistance to immunisation and encouraged parents to present their children for vaccination.
He explained that the success recorded in Gagi was largely driven by an inclusive governance approach that involved residents in discussions about government policies and public health programmes.
“We are practising inclusive community governance. Whenever we bring people together at community meetings, irrespective of their gender, religion, regional or political inclinations, they have a better understanding and become more willing to accept government policies and programmes,” he said.
The traditional ruler spoke on Monday during the ongoing polio vaccination exercise, while explaining how community leadership had contributed to the acceptance of the campaign.
