News - Jonathan pledges polio eradication by 2015

[TGD]

Seeks end to maternal deaths

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan Monday assured the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban ki-moon, of Nigeria's commitment to eradicating polio by 2015. Meanwhile, Jonathan has urged African leaders to show greater commitment to increase access to essential life-saving commodities to save the lives of millions of women and children on the continent.

The President gave the assurance when he met Ban at the sidelines of the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The UN scribe had earlier commended Nigeria for tackling polio.

Ban, however, urged Nigeria to continue the fight against the deadly disease so that Nigeria can be polio-free.

Jonathan spoke on Sunday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as co-chairman of the United Nations (UN) Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children during the official presentation of Campaign for the Acceleration of Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMA) on the fringe of the on-going 20th Ordinary Session of Heads of States and Government of the African Union (AU).

At the official presentation of CARMA to African leaders with the objective of forming a major health programme for implementation by all AU member-states, the President declared that there was the need for action to prevent deaths from preventable diseases.

The President has again brought together leaders of Sudan and South Sudan, Presidents Omar Al-Bashir and Salva Kiir, in an attempt to resolve the outstanding disagreement in the two countries' Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Abiye Protocol.

Jonathan also invited President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Alhassan Ouattara of Cote d'Ivoire, representatives of Ethiopian Prime Minister and AU chairperson, Hailemariam Dessalgen and a representative of Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki to participate in the talks, which also took place at the sidelines of the on-going 20th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit.

South Sudan and Sudan have been unable to resolve on-going disputes over border regions, alleged support for rebel groups, oil exportation and the status of contested areas, as well as Abiye  region's final status.

The Guardian