… Pakistan and Afghanistan remain on list
The World Health Organization on Saturday removed Nigeria from the polio-endemic c list.
With this development, Nigeria, which in 2012, accounted for more than half of all polio cases worldwide, has been declared free of the disease.
The country last reported a case of wild poliovirus in July 24, 2014, and a full 12 months have passed without fresh cases of the paralysing disease.
Only two countries – Pakistan and Afghanistan are still on the polio-endemic list and WHO has assured it will support their efforts to join list of nations that had been declared free of the disease.
“This success is the result of a concerted effort by all levels of government, civil society, religious leaders and tens of thousands of dedicated health workers. More than 200,000 volunteers across the country repeatedly immunized more than 45 million children under the age of five years, to ensure that no child would suffer from this paralysing disease.
“Innovative approaches, such as increased community involvement and the establishment of Emergency Operations Centres at the national and state level, have also been pivotal to Nigeria’s success.
“The interruption of wild poliovirus transmission in Nigeria would have been impossible without the support and commitment of donors and development partners. Their continued support, along with continued domestic funding from Nigeria, will be essential to keep Nigeria and the entire region polio-free,” the agency added.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the public-private partnership leading the effort to eradicate polio, described Nigeria’s removal from the polio-endemic list as a “historic achievement” in global health.
The Director-General of WHO, Dr. Margaret Chan, in a statement urged the Nigerian government to continue with the efforts that got the country off the polio-endemic list.
Dr. Chan, who is also a member of GPEI, canvassed support for Pakistan and Afghanistan in their efforts to join the polio free world.
“The outstanding commitment and efforts that got Nigeria off the endemic list must continue, to keep Africa polio-free. We must now support the efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan so they soon join the polio-free world,” she stated.
The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Ado Muhammad, who also spoke on the development, said, “We Nigerians are proud today. With local innovation and national persistence, we have beaten polio. We know our vigilance and efforts must continue in order to keep Nigeria polio-free.”
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