WHO: Nigeria may be polio-free by 2019

Basi Wadzin, Plateau state coordinator for the World Health Organisation, says Nigeria might be declared polio-free by 2019.

NAN reports that the WHO official made this statement during the polio vaccine administration to children at the Primary Health Care Centre in Jos North local government organised by Rotary Club, District 9125.

He said the world recorded 350,000 to one million cases of polio outbreaks annually in the 80s and that Africa recorded more than 90% decrease in polio outbreak in Africa in 2012.

“We are hoping that at the end of 2019, Nigeria and Africa will be certified polio-free and we would be able to reach inaccessible areas in the country.

“We hope to reach every child with efforts from government and other donors and partners.

“However, polio vaccination cannot reach everywhere because of security challenges and other factors, but we believe with the effort of security agencies, we are working towards reaching everywhere.”

According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the total number of reported cases of polio as at October 25 was four.

“No new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) were reported in the past week. The total number of WPV1 cases for 2016 remains four and no cases have been reported in 2017,” a portion of GPEI’s website read.

“The most recent case had onset of paralysis on 21 August 2016 in Monguno local government area, Borno.

“Nigeria continues to implement an emergency response to the detected WPV1 strain and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) strains affecting the country (last detected in 2016).

“Detection of polio cases in Nigeria underscores the risk posed by low-level undetected transmission. As part of the emergency response, subnational surveillance continues to be strengthened.

“The next scheduled SIA activity will take place at the beginning of November, using bOPV vaccine to protect over 10 million children under the age of 5 years from polio.”

Tolu Omatsola, a former district governor, Rotary Club of District 9125 in Jos, said Rotary was engaging media organisations to sensitise and sustain its campaign on polio.

He said the club’s target was to immunise more than 200 children during the exercise as part of activities to mark World Polio Day celebrated annually on October 24.

Kamshak Kuden, the Plateau commissioner of health, said the state government would support Rotary Club and other partners on the eradication of polio.