From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
Kano state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa on Saturday said the gains garnered by the state during the fight against polio in terms of infrastructural development and acquisition of medical facilities and human resources will be sustained, consolidated and used to boost routine immunization for polio and other diseases attacking children in the state.
Dr. Tsanyawa who stated this during an elaborate ceremony held at the state Ministry of Health to mark the 2020 World Polio Day, recalled that during the heat of the polio meningitis, the state government sponsored the training of scores of medical personnel, particularly, in the area of Primary Healthcare delivery.
According to him, even before Nigeria was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization (WHO), Kano had sustained polio-free status for 72 months.
“We are focusing on routine immunization. Polio immunization is now part of routine immunization. Any child that is borne will be routinely immunised against polio and other diseases or viruses,” he added.
He further stated that, “Kano state government is fully committed to ensuring that all eligible children are immunised through various programmes targeted to them.
” At this juncture, I will like to reaffirm our commitment to improve healthcare services delivery in Kano state under the able leadership of His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. His Excellency exemplifies this commitment over and over again by the huge number of initiatives, projects and interventions being implemented in the health sector. ”
Dr. Tsanyawa added that, ” because of the investment made by the state government, the commitment of the Executive Governor, Kano state is over 72 months polio-free, and today certified as Polio free with remarkable achievements recorded from 2018 till date.
He mentioned some of the achievements to include establishment of Local Government Routine Immunization Coordination Centre (LERICC) in all the 44 Local Government Areas of the state, procurement and installation of two 40 cubic-metre walk-in cold rooms for the State Cold Store including construction of a new store for the walk-in cold rooms.
Moreso, Dr. Tsanyawa said the state government also ensured the installation of Solar Direct Drives (SDDs) at the Ward level, sustaining in-sourced delivery of vaccines to the last mile, developed Reaching Every Ward (REW) micro-plan by all health facilities providing R1 services.
He said the state government also conducted reconciliation meetings between ward heads and service providers on monthly basis at Village Heads’ Houses, conduct daily R1 session in 95 per cent of Secondary Healthcare facilities in the state among other activities, conduct of quality IDPs, SIPDs and SIAs, as well as funding of R1 activities at 100 percent capacity.
Dr. Tsanyawa, however, expressed gratitude to Governor Ganduje for his untiring desire to improve the health sector, pointing out that, the significant role he (Ganduje) played in reversing the trend of polio transmission in Kano state since his days as Deputy Governor deserves commendation.
“This exemplary leadership and commitment has placed Kano on high pedestal and exhibition worldwide in the journey of the African continent to achieving the polio certification status, again, history is repeating itself at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic where the Preventive, Curative and Palliative approaches and the inauguration of an international, multinational and multidisciplinary State Taskforce Committee on COVID-19 Palliatives Pandemic with robust technical response team, towards containment and control of the global monster has set a pace with many successes and exemplary best practices.”
While expressing his gratitude to the five First Class Emirs in the state and their Emirates, Dr. Tsanyawa lauded development partners, including WHO, UNICEF, CDC-STOP, Africa CDC, REDISSE Project, Dangote Foundation, Rotary International, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Lafiya Project, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, Core Groups, KECCOH-D, CRS-Malaria Consortium, Management Science for Health (MSH), Society for Family Health (SFH), Solina, for the immence contribution to the eradication of polio in Kano state.
