“The overriding priority now is to rapidly immunize all children around the affected area and ensure that no other children succumb to this bad disease”.
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A statement signed by Mr Olajide Oshundun, Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations Ministry of Health, said two children from Gwoza and Jere Local Government Areas were affected. “The overriding priority now is to rapidly immunize all children around the affected area and ensure that no other children succumb to this awful disease”, WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said, as quoted in the statement.
Nigeria has reported two fresh cases of polio in the country’s northeast.
The steps include conducting large-scale immunization campaigns and strengthening surveillance systems that help catch the virus early.
Adewole, Minister of Health, on Thursday confirmed discovery of two cases of wild polio virus (WPV) in Borno. Nigeria’s removal from WHO’s list of polio-endemic countries in October had meant the entire African continent was free of the crippling disease.
Polio is an infectious viral disease that usually affects children.
Furthermore, agencies have to work with local-level groups and organizations, such as religious institutions and community based organizations, to negotiate access for vaccination teams.
Nigeria must now wait at least until the summer of 2019 to receive a polio-free certification.
The release also noted that the world is very close to reaching the goal of polio eradication. Yet even with Thursday’s setback, the country has made remarkable progress overall: As recently as four years ago, half of all wild polio cases worldwide originated in Nigeria. Only two other countries are reporting polio: Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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In Nigeria, wild poliovirus type one (WPV1) has been detected from Borno state.
