Traditional Leaders Step Up to Boost Immunization in Kano: Zannan Kano Commits to Protecting Every Child
In a major push to improve child health and vaccination coverage in Kano State, the Zannan Kano and District Head of Jogana, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe, has pledged to ensure every child in his domain receives life-saving vaccines.
The commitment was made during an advocacy visit to the District Head’s palace in Jogana, Gezawa Local Government Area.
The delegation included the Kano Community of Practice (CoP) on Immunization, Budget Tracking, Advocacy, and Accountability, working in collaboration with the BOOST Project an initiative implemented by Save the Children International and funded by GSK.
The high-level visit aimed to strengthen ties with traditional institutions and dismantle critical barriers to vaccine uptake, with a sharp focus on increasing male involvement in routine immunization.
During the engagement, the advocacy team shared findings from recent gender advocacy work and highlighted current immunization policy developments in Kano State.
A central talking point was the issue of spousal restriction, where some fathers prevent mothers from taking their children to healthcare facilities for vaccination.
The delegation emphasized that shifting the mindsets of fathers and community leaders is essential to breaking these social barriers and saving children’s lives.
Responding to the findings, the Zannan Kano expressed deep concern, describing the plight of vulnerable, unprotected children in his community as “unacceptable.”
To turn advocacy into immediate action, the traditional leader announced a targeted community mobilization strategy:
Mobilizing all 28 village heads under his jurisdiction to actively track down children who have missed their scheduled vaccines.
By Strengthening community-level monitoring systems to ensure children who start their vaccine rounds actually complete them.
:Personally spearheading advocacy efforts to ensure families prioritize child health and welfare.
”I am committed to ensuring that every child in my domain enjoys the right to good health,” Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe affirmed.
To ground the discussion in local reality, the advocacy team presented the traditional leader with an evidence-based advocacy brief and key localized data.
The Zannan Kano commended the team for the insight, noting that the data provided a clear picture of the specific health challenges facing families across Jogana and Gezawa.
He pledged continuous collaboration with civil society and international partners to turn these statistics around.
This partnership marks a vital milestone in leveraging the deep-rooted influence of traditional institutions to drive vaccine demand and fortify primary healthcare delivery in Northern Nigeria.
The Kano Community of Practice (CoP) on Immunization works to promote accountability, strengthen grassroots advocacy, and improve healthcare financing for sustainable immunization outcomes in Kano State.
The BOOST Project, implemented by Save the Children International and funded by GSK, focuses on enhancing routine immunization and primary healthcare systems in targeted local government areas, including Gezawa and Ungogo.
