The Yobe government says it has recorded four new polio cases in three local government areas (LGAs) three years after the state was declared polio-free.

The executive secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Board, Babagana Kundi-Machina, disclosed this while launching a campaign against the disease in Machina, a border LGA with Niger Republic, on Saturday.

“It is unfortunate that after three years of being certified polio-free, we have recorded a circulating polio-virus outbreak in Bursari, Machina, and Yusufari LGAs,” Mr Kundi-Machina said.

He said the state government, in collaboration with its partners, had launched a state-wide outbreak response and vaccination exercise to address the situation.

The state coordinator of WHO, Hamisu Alhassan, pledged the organisation’s support to the state toward containing the outbreak.

Mr Alhassan urged the public to adopt preventive measures, including personal and environmental hygiene, handwashing, and immunisation to boost immunity and promote good health, especially among women and children.

The Emir of Machina, Bashir Machinama, advised his people to cooperate with the government by accepting the vaccine.

Mr Machinama thanked the state government for its prompt response and pledged to sensitise his community to take relevant steps to contain the disease.

(NAN)