The Kano State Government has flagged off the second round of the Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) campaign, urging women aged 15 to 49 years to take advantage of the free tetanus vaccination.

Speaking at the launch on Monday at the Kano Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, said the campaign is aimed at protecting women and newborns from maternal and neonatal tetanus, a preventable but potentially fatal disease.

He described the vaccination exercise as a critical public health intervention, noting that immunising women of reproductive age also helps protect newborns from the disease.

“Maternal and neonatal tetanus is deadly, but it is entirely preventable. By protecting a woman of reproductive age, we also give her newborn a safer start to life,” he said.

The commissioner stressed that the campaign goes beyond administering vaccines, saying it is designed to reduce preventable deaths, safeguard families and improve community health across the state.

He urged all eligible women, including those who feel healthy, to receive the free vaccine. He also advised women who received a dose during the first round of the campaign to complete the recommended schedule to achieve stronger and longer-lasting protection.

Dr. Yusuf disclosed that during the first phase of the campaign, conducted in May 2026 across 18 high-risk local government areas, the state targeted 1,388,396 women and vaccinated 1,339,871, representing a 96.5 per cent coverage rate.

Despite the high coverage, he said about 1,191 settlements were not reached during the first round, making the second phase necessary to ensure no eligible woman is left behind.

According to him, the second round will focus on the same 18 high-risk local government areas, with special attention given to previously unreached settlements as well as underserved and hard-to-reach communities.

He assured residents that vaccines and logistics had been adequately deployed and that vaccination teams, supervisors and community mobilisers were fully prepared for the exercise.

The commissioner appealed to husbands, parents, traditional and religious leaders, local government authorities, civil society organisations and the media to support the campaign by encouraging eligible women to get vaccinated and helping to counter misinformation.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Kano State Government, under the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, to improving maternal and child health through immunisation, quality antenatal care, skilled birth attendance and strengthened primary healthcare services.

Dr. Yusuf also acknowledged the support of development partners, including the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary, AFENET, CORE Group, Solina and the Gates Foundation, for their contributions to the campaign. (AriseNews TV)

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