Katsina State has recorded a significant reduction in polio cases, falling from 17 cases across eight local government areas in 2024 to just two cases in 2025, according to statistics released by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The figures were presented by the Chief of the UNICEF Field Office in Kano, Rahama Farah, during his speech to mark 2025 World Polio Day in Katsina.
“Though remarkable progress has been made globally and in Nigeria, children remain vulnerable, and poliovirus outbreaks threaten decades of achievements”, Farah said.
“Here in Katsina State, we have seen progress. The number of polio cases has dropped significantly, from 17 cases across eight local government areas in 2024 to just two cases in 2025 in Danmusa LGA”.
While praising the coordinated efforts that led to the decline, Farah cautioned that transmission has not been fully interrupted. He urged the state government and partners to prioritize vaccination, strengthen immunization programs, and support surveillance systems to ensure all eligible children receive life-saving vaccines.
In her remarks, wife of the Katsina State Governor, Zulaihat Dikko Radda, attributed the two remaining cases in Danmusa LGA to vaccine hesitancy fueled by misinformation, fear, and mistrust.
“That is why I have made this cause my personal mission, not just as the First Lady of Katsina, but as a mother, as a woman, and as a voice for the voiceless,” she said.
“These vaccines that have been carefully formulated are safe, proven, and they are our most powerful weapon against diseases like polio that have no cure”, she said.
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