‎The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that Niger state may experience polio disease outbreak if proactive measures are not taken.
‎Making this disclosure at a one-day media engagement in Minna over the weekend, the UNICEF’s Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) Specialist Kaduna Field Office, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed stressed that unvaccinated children were particularly exposed.
‎Dr Mohammed while reviewing the polio situation in neighbouring states of Bauchi, Kebbi, Kwara, Zamfara and Sokoto, added the urgency of vaccinating children within the target age group.
‎According to him with the cases in neighbouring states, Niger stood the risk have having polio outbreak if proactive measures were not taken.
‎He added that the increasing number of cases in states bordering Niger posed a major threat to children in the state, particularly those yet to be vaccinated.
‎Dr Mohammed also stated that there was no cure for polio, and immunisation remained the most effective way to prevent it
‎The UNICEF then called on parents and guardians to ensure their children are vaccinated in the forthcoming polio immunisation campaign scheduled to commence on Sunday the 29th of March, 2026.
‎The State Health Educator, Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mohammed Usman stated that the exercise will be carried out across all 25 local government areas of Niger State, adding that the programme would help to contain the spread of the disease.
‎He further noted that full protection required multiple doses of the vaccine, warning that missed vaccinations could lead to continued transmission of the virus.
Edited by Favour Owonibi.[IT_EPOLL id=”1″][/IT_EPOLL]