Dr. Abdulrahman Tunji Funso, Chairman, Nigeria National Polio
Plus Committee (NNPPC) has announced Nigeria has recorded 50 per cent reduction in the number of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) cases.
According to him, the nation has recorded only 43 confirmed cases in 9 states as at
August 9, 2013 against the 81 cases it recorded in 11 states within the same period last year.
He added that Kano, Borno, Yobe and Bauchi states are responsible for about 84 per cent. He added that the high incidence in the four northern states is connected to the activities of
Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
“It
remains a challenge for the country that about 200,000 children are still
missing the three doses of polio vaccine needed to prevent the deadly
virus. The danger is that for every polio infection we allow to
happen anywhere in the country, it puts the whole country and the world at the
risk of new spread,” Funsho warned.
Concerning the southern part of Nigeria, he said no case of WPV has been recorded.
"No case has been recorded in the south so far, but new cases
in the north equally put us all at risk. Which is why we are still appealing
for collective support to tackle polio disease through continuous routine
immunisation and fund support," he said.
“Nigeria has no business being among countries that are yet to
eradicate polio. Nigeria has eradicated Type 2 and Type 3 strains
of the WPV said the country is currently faced with the challenges of
eradicating Type 1. It will be embarrassing if the country is the last among
the three countries to eradicate polio."
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