The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Katsina State government, has rolled out an integrated vaccination campaign targeting measles, rubella, and polio across all 34 local government areas of the state.
The campaign, which will be conducted in two phases, is scheduled to run from October 6, 2025, to February 13, 2026.
Speaking at a media dialogue on the campaign in Katsina, the Chief of UNICEF Kano Field Office, Rahama Farah, said the programme aims to halt the circulation of the polio virus while scaling up immunisation against measles and rubella.
He, however, warned that despite progress, polio remains a challenge in the state. “Katsina reported two cases of a variant of the polio virus in Danmusa LGA in 2025, compared with 17 cases across eight LGAs in 2024, including eight from Batsari LGA,” he noted.
Rahama Farah, The Chief of UNICEF emphasised the need for stronger government commitment, urging local government chairmen to personally oversee pre- and intra-campaign activities and hold regular review meetings.
According to UNICEF, Katsina has received 3,698,500 doses of novel oral polio vaccines (nOPV2), targeting 2.3 million children under five years through Directly Observed Oral Polio Vaccination. In addition, 4.8 million children aged 9 months to 14 years will be vaccinated against measles and rubella.
To ensure smooth implementation, 2,253 vaccination teams will be deployed across the state between October 4 and 13, 2025, while 5,584 teams will provide routine immunisation services from October 6 to 10. These will include 3,761 house-to-house teams, 993 transit teams, and 830 fixed-post teams.
UNICEF also trained 3,300 health workers on improved people skills and established 600 Non-Compliance Resolution Teams (NCRTs) to address vaccine resistance. Traditional and community leaders will also play a role, with 34 LGA chairmen and 70 district heads signing declarations in support of immunisation.
