By Asma’u Ahmad
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says Nigeria has not reported any case of the wild polio virus for over 25 months as at October.
Mr Saadu Salahu, Head Public Relations Unit of the agency, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja in commemoration of 2018 World Polio Day observed on Oct. 24 annually.
The 2018 World Polio Day was themed: ‘End Polio Now’ with a slogan ‘One Day, One Focus, Ending Polio’.
He said with continued commitment, collaboration and partnership, Polio eradication in Nigeria was within reach and on course.
He noted that there had been isolation and reporting of Type 2 strains largely from environmental samples.
“Although, these are not wild polio cases, they present with similar symptoms. “They are as a result of several years of low Routine Immunisation (RI) coverage and consequently, insufficient population immunity to Type 2 virus.
“This led to intensive outbreak response campaigns in two phases which commenced in May and September/October 2018,’’ he said.
He added that the Federal Government and development partners had scheduled a Fractional Injectable Polio Vaccine (fIPV) campaign across 92 targeted local government areas in November 2018 to further boost population immunity.
Salahu said NPHCDA commended the current political commitment towards vaccine procurement and strengthening routine immunisation in the country.
He added that the Nigeria and GAVI joint investment of over $3 billion in support of RI and health system strengthening was an unprecedented and commendable development.
He said the investment had a huge potential towards improving immunisation and primary health care quality over the next 10 years.
Salahu said the resolution of the Nigeria Governors Forum to ensure increased funding for Primary Health Care, including immunisation, was yet another laudable effort of the political leaders in the country.
He said the 2018 World Polio Day would afford NPHCDA and other key stakeholders the opportunity to further sensitise the political leaders on the need for sustained routine immunisation, polio supplemental immunisation activities.
