Sokoto 2026 polio deadline
The Sokoto State Government has set 2026 as its deadline to end polio transmission in the state, renewing its push to eliminate the circulation of Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2), a lingering public health challenge in parts of northern Nigeria.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu stated this on Tuesday during a high-level meeting at the Government House in Sokoto with Dr Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The government said it is intensifying vaccination, disease surveillance and community mobilisation efforts to interrupt transmission by 2026, as Sokoto remains one of the priority states under Nigeria’s National Polio Emergency Action Plan.
The renewed commitment comes despite Nigeria’s certification as wild polio-free in 2020, a milestone health authorities say remains under threat when vaccine-derived poliovirus continues to circulate in pockets where routine immunisation is low, children are missed during campaigns, or public confidence in vaccination weakens,Sokoto 2026 polio deadline.
Speaking at the meeting, Aliyu said Sokoto’s target is specific: to end the circulation of poliovirus type 2 by closing immunity gaps, particularly in hard-to-reach communities where access challenges and missed settlements have historically undermined vaccination coverage.
“Our goal is very clear: to interrupt the transmission of Poliovirus Type 2 and end its circulation in Sokoto State,” the governor said, adding that the state is strengthening vaccination campaigns, improving surveillance and increasing community engagement “to ensure no child is left behind.”
A key part of the state’s plan, he said, is improved financing and logistics. Aliyu disclosed that Sokoto has released its 2024 Routine Immunisation Memorandum of Understanding counterpart fund, and pledged continued prompt payment in subsequent years to sustain the immunisation programme, Sokoto 2026 polio deadline.
He also announced new investments aimed at strengthening cold-chain and last-mile delivery, including the procurement of deep freezers, power generators and motorcycles to support vaccine storage and enable health workers to reach remote settlements.
“These investments are meant to ensure hitch-free immunisation exercises and effective service delivery across all local government areas,” Aliyu said.
Beyond polio, the governor used the meeting to seek broader support for primary healthcare. He appealed for the extension of the Primary Health Care MoU with development partners to consolidate gains, and asked for additional assistance to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the state.
Aliyu said Sokoto has also taken steps to address health workforce shortages, revealing that the government recruited 1,500 nurses and midwives over the last two years, with a new policy introducing a mandatory two-year rural posting for health workers, including medical doctors, to expand access to care in underserved communities, Sokoto 2026 polio deadline.
The Gates Foundation’s Chris Elias commended the state for what he described as political will around routine immunisation, health workforce expansion and community engagement, noting that these steps are central to sustaining Nigeria’s polio gains and protecting children from preventable diseases.
“Sokoto’s commitment to routine immunisation, health workforce expansion and community engagement is critical to sustaining Nigeria’s polio-free status and protecting children from preventable diseases,” Elias said.
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Officials from the Dangote Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Nigeria office, and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency were also present at the meeting, underscoring the multi-partner structure of Nigeria’s polio eradication effort.
Public health stakeholders say the 2026 timeline aligns with the broader national push to interrupt cVDPV2 transmission, with global and local partners stressing that stopping vaccine-derived outbreaks is now the central challenge after the country’s wild polio-free certification. The World Health Organization has noted that cVDPV2 persists in areas with low immunity, driven by insecurity, population movement and missed children, and has emphasised that interrupting the virus by 2026 is critical, Sokoto 2026 polio deadline.
In Sokoto, officials say the task ahead will depend not only on funding and equipment, but on consistent community trust and the ability to reach every eligible child repeatedly, including in settlements that are difficult to access.
For the Sokoto government, the message from Tuesday’s meeting was direct: the state is placing political weight behind the 2026 deadline, expanding logistics, committing counterpart funds, and seeking deeper partner support to close remaining gaps, Sokoto 2026 polio deadline.
As preparations continue for the next cycle of campaigns, health authorities and development partners are expected to intensify outreach to caregivers, traditional institutions and community gatekeepers, with a focus on reducing missed children and improving acceptance across the state,Sokoto 2026 polio deadline.
Sokoto 2026 polio deadline.
