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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern over the continued presence of the polio virus in Katsina State, vowing to intensify collaboration with the state government to eliminate the disease by 2025.
This commitment was highlighted on April 10, 2025, during the official signing of the UNICEF-Katsina State Multi-Year Work Plan (2025–2027), held at the Government House Chamber in Katsina.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Kano, Mr. Rahama Farah, the Health Manager of the Kano Field Office, Dr. Sereke Deres, underscored the urgency of addressing the polio threat, which he described as a persistent risk to the health and well-being of children across the state.
“As we speak, the polio virus remains a significant threat to children’s health in Katsina State,” Dr. Deres stated. “Eradicating polio must be our top priority in 2025. We must dedicate every effort and resource to community mobilisation, awareness campaigns, and outreach to ensure every child is vaccinated.”
Dr. Deres urged the Katsina State Government to take leadership at all levels—from wards to local governments—by tackling vaccine hesitancy and encouraging local participation. He emphasized the importance of engaging local government chairpersons, community leaders, and religious figures, holding them accountable for ensuring full vaccination coverage.
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He also called on the state government to increase domestic investment in critical sectors including health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child protection, and social protection. Strengthening these areas, he said, would help build resilient systems capable of responding effectively to community needs without relying heavily on external support.
“UNICEF encourages the state to leverage its own resources, explore public-private partnerships, and scale up grassroots initiatives to ensure no child is left behind,” he added.
Responding to the commitment, Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda, assured the public of his administration’s unwavering support for the polio eradication drive. He revealed that a N500 million counterpart fund was released last year to support UNICEF programmes in the state.
“We remain committed to providing the necessary counterpart funding and will do our utmost to ensure the successful implementation of the multi-year work plan,” Governor Radda said.
The renewed partnership between UNICEF and Katsina State underscores a shared vision to protect every child from preventable diseases and strengthen health systems for lasting impact.
