Polio cases in Nigeria dropped from 388 in 2009 to 21 last year, a reduction of 95 per cent, a report has said.
Nigeria is one of four countries in the world where polio transmission has never been interrupted. Statistics show that today, 76 per cent of Nigerian children under five, have received at least three doses of vaccine.
This progress is reportedly as a result of improved quality of Immunization Plus Days (IPDs) and the leadership of political, traditional and religious figures. However, progress is fragile. Polio outbreaks in Borno, Kebbi and Zamfara states, and the low immunity of children in areas of same states put the whole country at risk of more polio outbreak and can jeopardize the polio eradication effort.
It is advised that all children under five must be protected against polio during The cheering news is IPDs. All children must also complete polio vaccination as part of the routine immunization schedule.
Polio has also decreased world-wide. In 2010, there were less than 1,500 cases. This is a 99 per cent reduction from two decades ago, when there were 350,000 cases worldwide.
Polio is now endemic in only four countries – India, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. India also saw progress against polio last year, with 41 cases in 2010, down from 74 cases in 2009. Polio is close to becoming only the second disease to ever be eradicated, after smallpox.
Polio is a crippling disease caused by a highly contagious virus that spreads from person to person. it is spread primarily through the fecal-oral route. The virus can attack the central nervous system, weakening muscles, causing paralysis and even death.
To completely eliminate polio in Nigeria, every child under five across the country must receive oral polio vaccine multiple times. At health clinics during routine immunization session, babies should receive four doses of oral polio vaccine (at birth, six weeks, ten weeks and fourteen weeks). During polio campaign called “Immunization Plus Days” or IPDs, every child under five should be vaccinated every time, at home, school, mosque, church, playground on the street and every where.
Anytime a poliovirus is detected, a “map-op” campaign should immediately take place, targeting all children under five in the Local Government Area (LGA) and neighnouring LGAs with oral polio vaccine.
Commenting on polio eradication in Nigeria, Dr Muhammed Ali Pate, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said the leadership will stop this paralyzing disease.
According to him, “Nigeria is on the brink of an historic achievement. Two years ago, our country was heavily criticized for exporting crippling polioviruses globally. This year, the world is applauding a 98 per cent annual reduction in polio cases in Nigeria. Experts described this progress as the single largest drop in polio cases ever recorded.
“Today, it is Nigeria’s chance to show the world that we won’t stop until we achieve a 100 per cent reduction. As we speak Nigerians are in the midst of a door-to-door campaign to provide polio vaccinations to 24 million children. Leadership at all levels will make the difference between success or failure.
“Political, traditional and religious leaders, coupled with the relentless efforts of our community health workers, must be thanked for the progress this year. So far in 2010, Nigeria has had just 8 polio cases, compared to 382 this time last year and 798 in 2008 - an unprecedented drop.
“Now, it is time for us to finish the job. Our country is one of the last frontiers in the global campaign to eradicate polio. As long as there’s polio anywhere, the threat of polio exists everywhere. Polio in Nigeria threatens our children and those in other Minister of Health Prof Onyebuchi Chukwuis leading a special effort to ensure cross-border coordination of immunization and disease control with our neighbours, including Cameroun, Chad and Niger.
“The final chapters of polio eradication in Nigeria will require even more effort than the first, but there are many reasons why this campaign deserves unwavering leadership and commitment. Stopping polio means that our families will never again lose another child to this crippling and disfiguring disease. Over time, eradication will save billions of naira, and we can invest the funds in other health priorities. The infrastructure we have built and the lessons learned from polio eradication are a spearhead to tackle other health challenges. If we can eradicate polio, we can save our children from other killer childhood diseases, protect our mothers in childbirth and deliver better health services to all Nigerians.
“We already know what works. We have seen unprecedented leadership from our Executive Governors and Local Government Chairmen, who have provided oversight and resources, particularly in the Northern States where the risks of polio are greater.
“We benefit from essential support for the polio fight from our Traditional Leaders, who are helping to plan campaigns, mobilize communities, and ensure families understand the threat of polio and the benefits of the oral polio vaccine. We are grateful to the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Saad Abubakar (III), for convening a senior committee of the Traditional Leaders who work to ensure that every settlement is reached and all children are protected.
“Nigeria’s fight against polio is aided by the momentum and exceptional attention from the international community. There are many allies, such as -Rotary International, which has raised millions for polio vaccines, and visionary partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). National funding and that of our partners is essential to pay for the vaccines, logistics, surveillance and community mobilization required in this massive effort to reach every Nigerian child under five.
“In Nigeria, we have the vaccine technology and the knowledge to contribute to the worldwide mission to eliminate polio. Now we need continued leadership to ensure our children are immunized. Polio eradication is a priority worthy of our investment. If Nigeria intensifies its efforts, international health experts say that our country can end polio transmissions by mid-2011.
“I call on all leaders to support this campaign we can all win. If we can eradicate polio, we prove that Nigerian leaders can deliver a historic milestone to all citizens. We must join together; act boldly and definitively, to show that Nigeria is serious about defeating polio once and for all,” he said.
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