By Hussaini Ibrahim Sulaiman
The Kano State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Federal Government, on Wednesday launched a capacity-building training for over 100 health officers aimed at strengthening healthcare planning, monitoring, and immunization coverage across the state.
The weeklong training, which opened at R&K Guest Palace in Kano, targets Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Annual Operational Plan and Costing and Logistics (AOPCL) officers drawn from the state’s 44 local government areas. It follows a national-level Training of Trainers (ToT) programme held in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, said the initiative is part of broader efforts to ensure data-driven health planning and improve immunization systems, especially in communities receiving internally displaced persons from neighbouring insecure states.
“The essence of this programme is to build the capacity of our M&E and AOPCL officers, who are critical to preparing multi-year health plans and tracking performance. We are cascading the national training to the local level to strengthen frontline systems,” Dr. Yusuf said.
He expressed concern over the number of un-immunized children, especially those migrating into Kano due to insecurity in the North-West, noting that the state government had intensified both routine and targeted immunization campaigns.
“We’ve had a huge influx of people from neighbouring states, and many children arrive in Kano without immunization. We’ve established a strong immunization task force chaired by the Deputy Governor and co-chaired by myself. Traditional leaders, ward heads, and other stakeholders are actively involved in identifying and vaccinating these children,” he added.
Yusuf blamed previous neglect of routine immunization for the outbreak of diphtheria in the state, which has persisted for two years.
“Thanks to the political will of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, routine immunization has been revived. Though we’ve largely contained the diphtheria outbreak, we still have isolated cases. I urge parents to bring forward all un-immunized or partially immunized children to avoid future crises,” the commissioner said.
While he did not provide exact figures, Yusuf stated that over two million children across Nigeria remain un-immunized, with the majority in the North. He said Kano likely bears a significant burden due to its population size and role as a safe haven for displaced persons.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Forum for Monitoring and Evaluation Officers in Kano, Nazifi Mahmud, said the training would help enhance the development of Annual Operational Plans (AOPs) for 2026 across the LGAs.
“The AOP is a crucial tool for identifying and prioritizing health interventions. It focuses on improving maternal and child health outcomes and ensuring that zero-dose children—those who’ve never received a vaccine—are reached,” Mahmud explained.
He said the forum consists of 44 officers representing each local government area, while the total number of trainees currently undergoing the session exceeds 100, including programme officers.
“After this workshop, officers will return to their LGAs to develop detailed operational plans which will be compiled at the state level. This ensures uniformity and efficiency in our yearly health interventions,” he added.
The training is expected to improve evidence-based decision-making in Kano’s health sector, bolster immunization coverage, and enhance preparedness for public health emergencies.