WHO Delist Nigeria From Of Polio Endemic Countries

The World Health Organization( WHO) has announced that polio is no longer endemic in Nigeria. This is the first time that Nigeria has interrupted transmission of wild poliovirus, bringing the country and the African region closer than ever to being certified polio-free. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the public-private partnership leading the effort to eradicate polio, called this a ‘historic achievement’ in global health. According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in New York, Nigeria has not reported a case of wild poliovirus since 24 July 2014, and all laboratory data have confirmed 12 months without any new cases despite the fact that in 2012, Nigeria accounted for more than half of all polio cases worldwide.

This success has been attributed to a concerted effort by all levels of government, civil society, religious leaders and tens of thousands of dedicated health workers with more than200,000 volunteers across the country repeatedly immunized more than 45 million children under the age of five years, to ensure that no child suffers from this paralysing disease.PROFOH is  proud to be part of this efforts, as we have immunized over 10,000 children against polio in Port Harcourt, Rivers State alone.

Dr Margaret Chan, Director- General of WHO said the outstanding commitment and efforts that got Nigeria off the endemic list must continue, to keep Africa polio-free and asked that all must now support the efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan so they soon join the polio-free world.Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF also said the removal of Nigeria from the list of polio- endemic countries is a major victory for Nigeria’s children saying that it is a testament to the commitment and dedication of the Government of Nigeria, local leaders, and front line workers and  it is proof positive that if we work together in partnership to reach every community and immunize every child, we can finish the job of eradicating this evil disease everywhere, once and for all.