The Kano State Ministry of Health has launched the second round of the Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) campaign, targeting more than one million women of childbearing age as part of efforts to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus and improve maternal and child health across the state.
Speaking at the official flag-off and press briefing, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, described the campaign as a major step in the state government’s commitment to protecting the lives of women and newborns through preventive healthcare.
He said the vaccination exercise is aimed at women aged 15 to 49 years, noting that maternal and neonatal tetanus remains a deadly but preventable disease that can be effectively controlled through immunisation.
According to the commissioner, the vaccine not only protects women against tetanus but also provides life-saving immunity to newborns during childbirth and in the early days of life.
Dr Yusuf disclosed that the first phase of the campaign recorded significant success, with more than 100,000 women vaccinated across the state, adding that the achievement has encouraged the government to expand coverage during the second round.
He said trained healthcare workers would conduct house-to-house and community-based vaccination exercises to ensure that eligible women, particularly those in underserved and hard-to-reach communities, receive the vaccine free of charge.
The commissioner reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration to strengthening primary healthcare services, reducing maternal and newborn deaths, and advancing universal health coverage through sustained investment in evidence-based health programmes.
He urged all eligible women to take advantage of the free vaccination exercise, assuring residents that the vaccines are safe, effective, and administered by trained healthcare professionals.
“The success of this campaign depends on the collective support of every community. Together, we can eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus and ensure that every mother and every child has the opportunity to live a healthy life,” he said.
The Kano State Government also reiterated its determination to continue implementing public health interventions aimed at safeguarding the health and well-being of residents while strengthening the state’s healthcare system.