It has been three years since Nigeria’s last reported case of wild poliovirus, according to Faisal Shuaib, the executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
Faisal Shuaib made the disclosure yesterdays, Africa News reports.
“Today, the 21st day of August 2019, Nigeria makes history having achieved three years without a case of wild polio virus, WPV. The last wild poliovirus case was isolated in a child in Borno state on the 21st of August 2016,” says Shuaib.
Polio is a viral infection that attacks the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours. Children under five are the most vulnerable, but people can be fully protected with preventative vaccines.
However, the country has not been declared polio-free as the effort continues to keep re-infection continues.
“We must remember that the battle is not over yet, we have to maintain our efforts and intensify them to make sure the historic gains are sustained and that polio-free certification is obtained for Nigeria in due time next year,’‘ says UNICEF Deputy Country Representative, Pernille Ironside.
Latest Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) figures show that there have been a total of 65 cases of wild polio worldwide so far in 2019 – 53 in Pakistan and 12 in Afghanistan, Africa News says.
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