Fresh polio variant cases hit Kano, UNICEF raises the alarm over child welfare

Kano State has recorded three new cases of Circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus (cVDPV), reigniting concerns about child health and immunization coverage in the region.

The outbreak, confirmed three months after eight similar cases were reported, once again puts children under five at risk of paralysis and other health complications.

The Chief of UNICEF Kano Field Office, Rahama Rihood Mohamed Farah, disclosed the development on Tuesday during a media dialogue on Child-Sensitive Budgeting held in Kano.

Farah described the situation as alarming, stressing that despite efforts to improve children’s welfare, data continue to reveal a troubling reality.

He cited figures showing that out of Kano’s estimated 6.5 million children, about 2.9 million are not fully immunized—making them highly vulnerable to preventable diseases like polio.

He attributed the recurring outbreaks to systemic challenges including underfunding of critical sectors such as health, education, and social welfare.

Farah criticized the state’s budgeting practices, where children’s needs are often hidden within broader sectoral allocations, leading to inadequate funding for key areas like nutrition, early childhood development, and child protection.

“To tackle these challenges, UNICEF is calling on the government to implement child-sensitive budgeting across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in their Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submissions and annual budgets,” Farah said.

He urged for increased and protected funding for high-impact child survival and development programmes, alongside transparent and regular reporting on expenditures related to children.

Farah also called on the media to play a proactive role in promoting child welfare by reporting on budget allocations, service delivery gaps, and other child-related issues. “Translate complex budget data into stories the public can understand.

“Provide platforms for dialogue involving government, CSOs, communities, and children,” he added.

The fresh cases highlight the urgent need for improved immunization efforts and targeted investments in child-focused services to prevent future outbreaks.