Great Expectations as Nigeria Marks Three Years Without Wild Polio Virus
Oru Leonard
Federal government health bodies, International organizations and NGOs tackling health issues and related deceases in Nigeria assembled at a world conference held at Abuja on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 to mark three years without Wild Polio Virus case.
The case of the virus that has not been detected in Nigeria since August 2016, will result to Nigeria getting certification as a polio free nation if the country remains without a polio case by March 2020.
If Nigeria succeeds in getting the certification, Pakistan and Afghanistan will be the two countries left behind as polio virus risk areas. Hence the apprehension from certain quarters in Nigeria of the need to put adequate preventive and protective measures to avoid the import of the decease.
Health experts say that Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease, which mainly affects young children. The virus is transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, through contaminated water or food and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
In his key note address at World Press Conference themed: “Three years without Wild Polio Virus case in Nigeria”, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, said Nigeria has commenced the process for its certification as a polio-free country.
“Following this achievement of three years without the Wild Polio Virus, Nigeria has commenced the process of documentation towards the final certification by the Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC).
“This process involves a detailed assemblage and review of surveillance, Routine Immunization (RI) and Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs) Data by the National Certification Committee before submission of the final documentation to ARCC in March, 2020. If ARCC is satisfied with the country’s documentation, Nigeria will be certified Wild Polio Virus free,” he said.
Mr Shuaib said though there was a major setback in 2016, following the discovery of a new case in Borno state, the country is determined to be certified polio-free by 2020.
“There is no doubt that three years without a case of Wild Polio Virus is a historic milestone for the Polio eradication programme in Nigeria and the global community.
“We recall the seeming success between 2014 -2016 in the fight against the Wild Polio Virus that was truncated by the resurgence of the Wild Polio Virus in August 2016.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and development partners took the setback in their strides and mounted a globally acclaimed rapid and aggressive outbreak response.
