Post-polio: Kano assures of sustainability for RI, polio interventions

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As the World Health Organisation (WHO) prepares to declare Nigeria a polio-free country, the Kano state government has stated its commitment towards sustaining the gains made by various polio and Routine Immunisation (RI) interventions currently being funded by donor partners across the state,  Dr Aminu Tsanyawa, the state commissioner of health, has assured.

“The fight against polio is coming to an end that is why we are here to strategize to ensure the achievements we have recorded are sustained. So many issues were discussed with regards to the fate of our health workers working in communities; we are looking at how best we can sustain their services and also sustain the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) for polio by utilising it for other public health challenges,” he said.

Tsanyawa was speaking on Monday, shortly after a one-day roundtable on post-polio and routine immunisation interventions exit plan in Kano state, organised by the Kano State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC). The objectives of the roundtable were to come up with highlights of development partners’ investments on RI and Polio in Kano state; discuss the possible effects of partners exit from the state, after the declaration of Nigeria as polio free, as well as agree on next steps for sustaining RI and polio related activities in the state.

“To that effect, we are setting up a small technical committee to look at the activities of the EOC and its financial implication so as to mobilise resources to ensure we sustain its operations to continue to serve the good people of Kano. The Kano state government has evolved many health financing interventions such as the KHETFUND aimed at ensuring the availability of more resources for the health sector so as to be able to sustain the various interventions. I assure you that whatever interventions, achievements and structures put in place will be sustained,” said Tsanyawa.