By Ali Rabiu Ali, Dutse
The Jigawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with the UNICEF Kano Field Office, has organised a one-day mass mobilisation dialogue with journalists, social media influencers and U-Reporters to strengthen public awareness and acceptance of polio immunization across the state.
The event, held on March 23, 2026, at Jigawa State Hotel Limited, focused on strategies to improve the success of the upcoming polio campaign and other vaccination campaigns.
Speaking during the session, state health educator Primary healthcare development agency Sani Yusuf highlighted the key objectives of the media engagement, which include creating widespread public awareness about the integrated campaign, promoting acceptance and uptake of vaccines, and addressing myths, rumours and misinformation surrounding immunisation.
Yusuf also emphasised the need to mobilise caregivers and communities to actively participate in vaccination exercises, noting that community trust remains critical to achieving full coverage.
According to the presentation, the campaign will cover all 27 local government areas in Jigawa State, targeting children aged 0 to 5 years. Various strategies, including house-to-house visits, fixed and temporary posts, and transit vaccination teams, will be deployed to ensure no child is left behind.
In his presentation, Jibril Shaibu Abdulsalam, the lead facilitator for Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilization explained that the exercise would run for several days, including dedicated periods for outreach and mop-up activities to reach missed children.
Abdulsalam said the expected outcomes of the campaign include increased public awareness, higher turnout during immunisation days, improved caregiver confidence in vaccines, and a significant reduction in the spread of misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.
Participants at the dialogue stressed the important role of the media and digital influencers in shaping public perception, urging them to disseminate accurate information and counter false narratives that could hinder the success of the campaign.
The engagement forms part of broader efforts by government and development partners to strengthen routine immunisation and protect children from preventable diseases across Jigawa State.
