As Nigeria continues to battle the transmission of poliovirus, efforts to eliminate the disease by the end of 2025 have gained new momentum following a high-level media engagement in Kaduna. The Media Dialogue on Polio Eradication, held at the Mogadishu Metro Hotel, brought together journalists, on-air personalities (OAPs), and social media influencers to strengthen the media’s role in promoting polio vaccination and combating misinformation.
Discussions centred around the influence of media narratives on public perception of immunisation and how media figures can champion accurate information. Participants examined how tools such as the Hausa rendition of the “No More Zero Dose” song, public service announcements, and concise messaging can help encourage caregivers to vaccinate their children. The event also urged media professionals to document immunisation efforts and hold both government actors and development partners accountable.
UNICEF’s Field Officer in Kaduna, Dr Idris Baba, addressed the persistent spread of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), despite increased efforts throughout 2024. He noted a decrease in detections—from 166 in 2023 to 122 in 2024—but warned of a concerning rise in paralysis cases among children, which have more than doubled in three years.
By Week 19 of 2025, new detections included 17 cases from Acute Flaccid Paralysis, 7 from environmental samples, and 1 from a healthy child. These cases emerged across nine states and 19 local government areas (LGAs), primarily in the North, though Oyo State also recorded a case. A separate detection of poliovirus type 3 in Yobe has further heightened concerns about immunity gaps in the region.
Dr Baba highlighted that media engagement during World Immunisation Week and the April National Immunisation Plus Days led to over 400 media mentions across northern Nigeria. However, he stressed the importance of continuing such outreach throughout the year.
“Sustaining the massive media engagement from April throughout the year is critical,” he stated. “We must outnumber misinformation by amplifying stories of success and resilience.”
He called for a united front in the fight to eradicate polio, pointing out that the oral polio vaccine has reduced global paralysis cases from poliovirus by 99.9% between 1988 and 2021, preventing an estimated 24 million cases of childhood paralysis. Nevertheless, the contagious nature of the virus means that even one case remains a threat to global health.
To end the virus’s spread, 95% of children under the age of five must be vaccinated during every campaign. Yet, in many areas, including Kaduna, numerous children are still being missed. The 2023 Demographic and Health Survey revealed that Kaduna has one of the highest rates of “zero-dose” children—those who have never received any routine immunisations.
Dr Baba attributed continued transmission to poor immunisation coverage, weak sanitation, and high levels of malnutrition. He praised Kaduna’s commitment to community-led outreach teams and commended LGA Chairmen who supported the April vaccination round—some even using personal funds. He also urged for prompt disbursement of funding ahead of the June campaign.
UNICEF appealed to LGA Chairmen and their spouses to lead upcoming polio campaigns at the local level, stressing the importance of public figures demonstrating commitment.
“Caregivers must allow children under five to be vaccinated during every round—even if they’ve received polio vaccines previously,” Dr Baba advised. “Until transmission stops, no child is fully protected.”
He also highlighted the global embarrassment Nigeria faces due to ongoing polio cases.
“Many Nigerians returning from Hajj are made to queue for oral polio vaccines because our country is still battling the virus, while 99.9% of the world has eradicated it. This embarrassment must end. Our children deserve to live free of this fear and other vaccine-preventable diseases.”
The dialogue concluded with a unified call for intensified collaboration among media professionals, government leaders, development partners, and communities to finally rid Nigeria of polio.
