Official worried over polio vaccine rejection - Chairman of the Kaduna State Action Committee on Immunization (SACI), Dr Mustapha Jumare, has expressed concern over rejection of polio vaccine in some parts of the state.
Dr Jumare, who spoke yesterday in Zaria at a meeting with traditional and religious leaders at the palace of the emir of Zazzau, said the communities where the rejection is most pronounced are Hayin-Marmara and Unguwan-Lalle in Giwa Local Government Area of the state.

The SACI chairman said the polio vaccine rejection is detrimental to the success of the exercise, not only in the state, but the country at large.

He appealed to religious, traditional and community leaders to redouble efforts towards ensuring total eradication of polio for the benefit of the younger generation.

Dr Jumare said from January to date, about 43 children have been found with traces of the disease in Nigeria as against the four recorded last year.

"About 80 per cent of the affected states are from North-West zone, but we thank God that Kaduna State was not affected," he said.

Earlier in his remarks, the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, urged the leaders of the affected communities to sensitize their people on the need to allow health officials to vaccinate their children.

He said he is confident that the problem of vaccine rejection would be overcome.

Isa SA'idu

Daily Trust/23/11/2011