Yobe State records new polio cases, flags off vaccination campaign
Three years after Yobe State was declared free from poliomyelitis, the state has once again recorded four new cases of the disease, spread across three local government areas—Bursari, Machina, and Yusufari.
Dr. Babagana Kundi-Machina, the Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Primary Healthcare Management Board, made this known during a polio vaccination campaign in Dole Machina, a community located just five kilometres from the Niger Republic border. Dole Machina recently reported two out of the four confirmed cases.
“It’s unfortunate that after three years of being certified polio-free, we’ve recorded an outbreak of circulating poliovirus in Bursari, Machina, and Yusufari local government areas. As a government, in collaboration with our partners, we have embarked on a state-wide outbreak response,” Dr. Kundi-Machina stated.
The vaccination exercise will not be limited to the affected areas. It is set to cover all 17 local government areas of the state, ensuring comprehensive coverage. Speaking from Dole Machina, the epicentre of the outbreak, Dr. Kundi-Machina highlighted the importance of the vaccination campaign: “We have just flagged off the campaign in Dole Machina, where two cases were recorded.”
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Dr. Hamisu Alhassan, the Yobe State Coordinator for the World Health Organisation (WHO), speaking on behalf of the partners involved, assured that WHO and other stakeholders would fully support the Yobe State Government in both preventing the further spread of the disease and curbing the outbreak.
He also stressed the importance of good hygiene practices, urging the community to take responsibility for personal and environmental hygiene to complement the government and partners’ efforts. “We need to ensure that everyone is involved in this fight, not just by getting vaccinated but also by maintaining a clean and safe environment,” he said.
In a show of solidarity, the Emir of Machina, Alhaji Bashir Albishir-Machinama, who accompanied the healthcare delegation to Dole Machina, urged the people of the community to accept the vaccination efforts without hesitation, as they had done in the past. He expressed his gratitude to the government for its swift response and promised to raise awareness within his domain to ensure the outbreak does not spread further.
“We must all work together to ensure that this disease is eradicated once again. The government has responded quickly, and it’s up to us to support their efforts by getting vaccinated and staying vigilant,” the Emir said.
Written by Sakinat Musa Abubakar, Editor at Neptune Prime.
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