Nigeria may be certified polio-free – WHO

Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

If Nigeria does not report a wild polio case in the next two months, the country will reach three years without a polio case and could be certified polio-free after submitting its papers to the regional commission in the first quarter of 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

According to Dr Clement Peter, OiC of the WHO Nigeria office, Nigeria’s efforts to reach this milestone, particularly through building community acceptance of vaccines and strong political commitment.

Citing the ongoing conflict in northeastern Nigeria, he identified general low immunity levels, and funding as key challenges to the programme.

However, he states that he is optimistic that Nigeria is on track to meet its goals and that the government and its partners are implementing a number of strategies to overcome these challenges, including strengthening primary health care, improving disease surveillance across the country, working with neighboring countries on vaccination campaigns, and setting up co-financing with donors.