Nigeria Removed From List Of Polio-endemic Nations

Nigeria has reached a major polio breakthrough and has been removed from the list of polio-endemic countries after a year of not recording a single case of wild polio.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said Nigeria has not reported a case of wild polio virus since July 24, 2014.

“All laboratory data confirm that 12 months have passed without any new case in the country.

“Nigeria has brought the world one major step closer to achieving this goal and it is critical that we seize this opportunity to end polio for good and ensure that future generations of children are free from this devastating disease.

“This leaves only Pakistan and Afghanistan as the only countries with endemic cases of the disease,’’ the organisation said in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.

The statement quoted the Global Polio Eradication Initiative as describing the development as historic achievement in global healthcare.

WHO issued this statement after the recent Global Polio Eradication meeting in New York.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded by national governments, WHO, Rotary International, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The statement recalled that in 2012, Nigeria accounted for more than half of all polio cases worldwide.

It said that the success was the result of concerted efforts by all levels of government, civil society groups and religious leaders in the country.

According to the statement, such support with continued domestic funding from Nigeria is essential to keep Nigeria and the entire region polio-free.

Meanwhile President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed Saturday’s announcement by the World Health Organisation that polio is no longer endemic in Nigeria.

President Buhari said he was delighted by the announcement which followed the absence of any case of the wild polio virus in Nigeria since July 24, 2014.

“The president applauds the concerted efforts of government officials, health workers, volunteer groups, civil society, religious leaders, traditional rulers and international partners which resulted in this historic achievement,” a statement from the presidency said.

 “The President directs all government ministries, departments and agencies involved in the polio eradication effort to remain proactively engaged and on guard against the re-emergence of the polio virus in Nigeria.

“He assures the World Health Organisation and the global community that the Federal Government will ensure that immunisation and surveillance activities continue across Nigeria to keep the country polio-free,” the statement said.