Parents ‘Using Fake Ink On Children’ To Avoid Polio Vaccination In Kano

Report has it that some parents prevent their children from getting vaccinated against polio in Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State.

Abdulkadir Ahmed, a traditional ruler in Ungogo who revealed this on Thursday said any parent caught in the act will be arrested.

According to Ahmed, some parents thumb print their children with fake inks to deceive the vaccinators that their children had received polio vaccine.

Recall that Nigeria in 2015 was declared polio-free until new cases were discovered in 2016. As at July 10, Nigeria had four reported cases of polio.

Naziru Salihu, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official, who raised the alarm of fake thumb printing explained that during their visit to some households in the area, some parents claimed their wards had been vaccinated against polio by some health officials.

He said “parents used the usual mark of thumb printing on the children’s finger but the ink used by parents was different from that of vaccinators.”

Reacting to the development, the district head said the traditional rulers and other key stakeholders would not tolerate any attempt to scuttle the efforts of stakeholders who seek to eradicate polio virus in the state.

He warned defiant parents to refrain from the act or face the wrath of the law.