FIC Report (Sokoto State) – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Sokoto field office has warned residents in the state against linking toilets to sewage, as it poses a serious environmental hazard to public health.
A personnel from the Sokoto state Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Alhaji Bashar Garba Illela,stated this during a one-day mass mobilisation Dialogue with journalists and social media influences organised by the UNICEF in Sokoto.
According to him, the event is aimed at seeking support towards eradicating polio.He noted that the action risks the outbreak of the disease. And also to mobilise working journalists and other health stakeholders’support for the upcoming polio immunisation exercise scheduled from April 16th to 19th April 2026.
He called on parents and stakeholders in Sokoto to take immediate action towards eliminating the virus. The event focuses on community mobilisation, creating awareness about the importance of vaccination and reshaping people’s minds on misconception about polio.
A UNICEF representative in the Sokoto Office said that they targeted over 1.500,000 million eligible children and had already recruited 19,000 trained adhoc staff to redeployed for the 12,000 settlements.
He stated that the previous exercise conducted during the Ramadan period recorded 77% coverage,and almost all reported non-compliance cases had been resolved with the help of traditional, religious leaders and influential personalities.” Every child under the age of five years must be vaccinated, repeated doses strengthen immunity, vaccination teams are trained and trustworthy. Non-compliance puts children and communities at risk,” the officer stated.
The representative urged the media to disseminate accurate and timely information, counter misinformation, myths and rumours, and promote behavioural change and vaccine acceptance.
Ramatu Sani (Mrs),
Head of Centre,
FIC, Sokoto.
16th/4/2026.
