The World Health Organisation Consultant on Vaccine, Security and Logistics, Mr. Bolaji Busari, has said that no fewer than 25 children have been affected with the wild polio virus in nine northern states this year.
The affected states are Adamawa, Kano, Gombe, Nasarawa, Bauchi, Niger, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Yobe.
The WHO consultant revealed this during the flagging off of the 5th round of Immunisation Plus Days (IPDs) in Tegina town in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State. The IPD was initiated as part of the major efforts to tackle the disease.
Busari said report showed that of the nine states, Borno led with 10 new cases, while Niger and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded one case each. He, however, explained that the new case identified in Niger is still being contested by the state government, adding that the child with the polio virus was from FCT and only attended a hospital in Niger because of the free medical treatment provided for children and women by the government
The consultant said that it would be difficult to wipe polio out of Nigeria due to poor routine immunisation exercise and sanitation.
Busari said: "Nigeria is still poor in routine immunisation, there is no country in the world that has ever eradicated polio with poor routine immunisation and sanitation is also poor as people defecate freely."
Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu said Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only three nations still battling with the virus that is transmitting the disease.
National Mirror
Polio is a disease every human being would always love to avoid. It is nothing good for any Nigerian. Very bad.