Zamfara records 21 cases of poliovirus type 2

Since January, Zamfara State has reported 21 cases of poliovirus type 2 (CVDPV2), which specialists attribute to the state’s security issues.

At a one-day conference with traditional leaders of completely inaccessible areas in Zamfara State held in Gusau on Tuesday, His Royal Highness Samaila Mera, the Emir of Argungu, the head of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Care, revealed this.

He claims that the poliovirus type 2 that originated in Zamfara State has already infected 50 children nationwide, of whom 21 instances were documented there. He also claims that the state has affected 29 other African nations in addition to 26 other states.

He claimed that because most rural areas are inaccessible due to security issues, the state has the highest number of polio cases in the nation.


“Many communities and children no longer have easy or safe access due to the state’s terrible security situation.

“It has also raised the possibility of an outbreak of diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, particularly the mutant poliovirus. The state has the highest disease burden in the nation as a result.

The Emir went on to say that the meeting recognized that similar circumstances also exist in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states after thorough discussion of the report from Zamfara.


He emphasized that the meeting’s purpose was to determine the number of locations that weren’t accessible due to insecurity.

The meeting’s goal, according to Dr. Faisal Shuaibu, executive director and chief executive officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, was to develop strategies to stop the spread of the circulating version of poliovirus type 2 by December of this year.

No matter the security risks, he said, the organization would make every effort to get out to all the children in the state for polio immunization.


To make sure that our healthcare personnel are working in safe areas, he stated, “we must strengthen our partnership with security agencies.”