The Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board (KSPHCMB) has confirmed the detection of four new variants of the polio virus in the state, raising concerns about a possible resurgence if routine immunisation is not sustained.
The Executive Secretary of the Board, Professor Salisu Ahmad, represented by the Director of Disease Control, disclosed this during a town hall meeting organised to commemorate World Polio Day in Kano on Wednesday.
Professor Ahmad recalled that between 2013 and 2015, Kano served as the epicentre of polio transmission in Nigeria. However, he noted that through coordinated efforts by the state government and development partners, the virus was successfully eradicated.
He warned, however, that recent discoveries indicate the fight is far from over. “Four new variants have been detected, and one case is still undergoing laboratory confirmation,” he stated.
Providing an update on the state’s polio status, the State Immunisation Officer, Hajia Saadatu Ibrahim, revealed that two of the new cases were found in children living in rural communities, while the other two were identified in contaminated water sources in two urban locations.
“Environmental sanitation alone cannot end vaccine-preventable diseases,” Hajia Ibrahim cautioned. “We must continue to vaccinate our children to maintain our polio-free status.”
She added that while there were over 350,000 polio cases worldwide in 1988, the virus was eventually eradicated in most countries through routine immunisation. “Nigeria, India, and Afghanistan battled the virus at different times, but we must remain vigilant to ensure it never returns,” she said.
Join Inclusive News Network WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.