By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto

SOKOTO:- The ongoing Intra Campaign Immunization Exercise across Sokoto State has recorded remarkable success by Day 5, with over 2.2 million children vaccinated against life-threatening diseases including Measles Rubella, Poliomyelitis, and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

According to data from the Intra-Campaign Dashboard, a total of 1,316,147 children aged 9 months to 14 years have so far received the Measles Rubella (MR) vaccine, while 903,463 children aged 0 to 59 months (under five years) have been successfully immunized against Polio. Similarly, 28,474 nine-year-old girls have received the HPV vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer.

Health officials described the figures as a major breakthrough in the fight against preventable childhood diseases, noting that the impressive turnout reflects growing public confidence in government-led health interventions.

Speaking on the progress of the campaign, officials from the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) under the leadership of the state Commisioner for health Dr. Faruk Abubakar Wurno and acting Executive secretary PHCDA Dr Bilyaminu Sifawa attributeed the success to robust community mobilization, strong collaboration with traditional and religious leaders, and the dedication of health workers across the 23 local government areas.

This, they explained, is a clear demonstration of what can be achieved when parents, communities, and health authorities work together for a healthier future, adding that the state is on course to surpass its targets before the end of the 10-day exercise.

The campaign, which aims to reach every eligible child and adolescent, continues to witness large turnouts at health facilities, temporary vaccination posts, schools, and designated community centers.

Health authorities have reiterated their commitment to ensuring that no child or eligible girl is left behind, urging parents and caregivers who are yet to present their children for vaccination to do so before the campaign concludes.

Vaccination remains one of the safest and most effective ways to protect children from deadly but preventable diseases, the SPHCDA emphasized, calling on communities to continue supporting the effort toward a disease-free Sokoto.

With five days remaining, the Sokoto State Intra-Campaign continues to gather momentum, signaling strong prospects for achieving full coverage and further strengthening the state’s health system resilience.