Kano community finally accepts Polio Immunization

Two years after the conduct of epileptic polio immunization exercise at Karshi settlements in Rogo Local Government Area of Kano State over the dispute of village head title between two biological brothers, residents of the community have finally resolved to embrace the immunization exercise.

People of Karchi, a village comprising 26 settlements in Zoza ward had been at loggerhead over unresolved battle of traditional title between two brothers, Ado Kilichi and Ibrahim Kilichi after the demise of their father.

The situation had over the year created a division among the villagers, a faction backing the younger brother, Ado who was eventually appointed and turbaned by the Kano Emirate Council, while the other faction is loyal to the senior brother, Ibrahim whom they believed deserves the village head position.

The lingering crisis had for almost two years marred stakeholders’ efforts to immunise eligible children against polio virus in the area as the residents of the area dominated by Christians and Muslims, insist on dethronement of Ado and installation of Ibrahim before any Immunization Plus Days IPDs or Routine Immunization RI exercise could take place in the area.

However, a light eventually came at the end of the tunnel in the last two rounds of the IPDs in December 2016 and January this year as the two gladiators unanimously agreed to shield their swords and embrace dialogue towards reviving polio immunization exercise in the area.

Speaking with members of Journalists for Health JFH during the just concluded January IPDs, the Primary Health Care Coordinator at the Rogo LGA, Bilyamynu Gambo Zubairu confirmed that normalcy had gradually returned in the area since last year Dec. IPDs when 754 representing 51% of the 1,486 target population were immunised at 22 of the 26 settlements in the community.

Zubairu explained further that the January IPDs received the required boost as the health workers were able to immunise under five children even more than 100% targeted population of 1, 486, linking the development to the active participation of the two brothers from the royal family, Ado and Ibrahim who involved in the community mobilization and implementation process.

“We have been made to realise that immunization is for the benefit of our children and we have resolved to embrace it regardless of the lingering dispute in our community. As you can see, most of the children have received the vaccine as evident on their finger print which was marked by health workers and we hope to continue like this” – an elder who preferred anonymity disclosed.

Commenting on the success and measures to sustain the tempo, Incident Manager of Kano Emergency Operation Centre EOC under the State Ministry of Health, Dr Imam Wada Bello said the development was achieved through intensified dialogues, engagements and reshuffle of health workers posted to the area.

Dr Bello however described the just concluded January IPDs as successful, saying over 3.2 million children were immunised and the State government had released its counterpart fund amounting to over N100m for the smooth running of the campaign in the first quarter of the year.