By Umar Idris Shuaibu
The Zannan Kano and District Head of Jogana, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe, has pledged to strengthen efforts aimed at improving routine immunization coverage by mobilising 28 village heads under his domain to identify and track children who miss life-saving vaccines.
The commitment was made during an advocacy visit by the Kano Community of Practice (CoP) on Immunization, Budget Tracking, Advocacy and Accountability, in collaboration with the BOOST Project implemented by Save the Children International with funding support from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
The visit, held at the District Head’s Palace in Jogana, Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, was designed to deepen collaboration with traditional institutions and address barriers affecting immunization uptake, particularly low male involvement in child healthcare decisions.
During the engagement, members of the advocacy team highlighted ongoing immunization policy developments in Kano State and shared findings from recent gender-focused advocacy activities. They identified spousal restrictions and inadequate support from some fathers as factors contributing to missed routine immunization appointments among children.
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The delegation stressed that the active participation of traditional rulers, community leaders and parents remains critical to overcoming social barriers and improving access to essential healthcare services.
Responding, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe expressed concern over the welfare of vulnerable children within his domain and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting immunization programmes and child health initiatives.
He announced plans to mobilise the 28 village heads under his jurisdiction to monitor children who miss vaccination schedules and strengthen community-based tracking mechanisms to reduce immunization dropouts.
The traditional ruler also pledged to lead advocacy efforts aimed at encouraging families to prioritise child health and routine immunization.
“I am committed to ensuring that every child in my domain enjoys the right to good health,” he stated.
As part of the visit, the advocacy team presented relevant data, an advocacy brief and a symbolic souvenir to the traditional ruler to support evidence-based advocacy and decision-making.
The Zannan Kano commended the initiative, noting that the information shared provided valuable insights into health challenges facing communities in Jogana District and Gezawa Local Government Area.
He further pledged continued collaboration with development partners, healthcare stakeholders and community leaders to improve immunization coverage and strengthen primary healthcare delivery across the area.
Stakeholders described the engagement as a significant step toward leveraging traditional institutions to drive demand for immunization and improve child health outcomes in Kano State.
The Kano Community of Practice on Immunization works to promote accountability, advocacy and improved health financing, while the BOOST Project focuses on strengthening routine immunization and primary healthcare systems in selected local government areas, including Gezawa and Ungogo.
Participants expressed optimism that stronger collaboration between traditional institutions and health partners would help reduce the number of unvaccinated children and ensure that no child is left behind in Kano State.