Vaccination, key to polio-free Nigeria —Rotary boss
Rotary
International has urged members of the public to support government
efforts towards eliminating polio, by embracing the polio vaccination,
which it described as the surest way to help Nigeria achieve its 2014
total polio eradication goal.
“If achieved, Nigeria will join the
league of polio-free countries for children, such as India and America,”
an ex-District Governor of Rotary/Chairman, Nigeria National PolioPlus
Committee, Dr. Tunji Funso, said.
Funso made this call in Lagos during the World Polio Day.
He lamented that while many endemic
countries had recorded tremendous success in the fight against polio as
far back as 1988, Nigeria, alongside Pakistan and Afghanistan, currently
remains the three polio-endemic countries.
He noted that with consistent vaccination, the world would soon be free of polio, just like it did with small pox.
Experts say currently, Nigeria requires
one billion dosage of the polio vaccine annually, and Funso disclosed
that “the NNPC is striving to raise $500m for the total eradication of
the virus in the country.”
Recounting the nation’s success in
containing the spread of the virus, Funso said, “As at October 4, 2013,
Nigeria had only one confirmed circulating vaccine derived poliovirus
(cVDPV2) in one state, compared to five cases in two states within the
same period in 2012. Also, there were 49 cases of confirmed wild polio
virus in nine states, compared to 101 cases in 11 states at the same
period in 2012.”
He noted that this achievement was
possible due to the relentless efforts of the Rotary International in
driving the largest public-private partnership in history through
advocacy, using its over 1.2 million member-volunteers around the world.
While thanking the partners and donors,
Funso said, “While we advocate, raise funds and actively participate in
immunising children, our partners — the governments, WHO, UNICEF, and
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – have been providing financial,
technical and human resources to get the job done.”
He enjoined Nigerians to join hands with
the rotary and government to ensure the vaccination of every child,
saying it is the safest solution to the scourge.
http://www.punchng.com/health/vaccination-key-to-polio-free-nigeria-rotary-boss/
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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