Nigeria’s polio delisting scheduled for next week
From EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – THE World Health Organisation will formally delist Nigeria as a Polio endemic country, it has been disclosed.
The Federal Ministry of Health confirmed the event would be held at State House in Abuja on Monday.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, representing Director-General of WHO, Margaret Chan, will officiate at the event that President Muhammadu Buhari will attend.
“The Regional Director will meet with Mr. President to formally announce to the Government of Nigeria the WHO’s decision to remove Nigeria from the list of Polio endemic countries, as a recognition of the immediate
achievement of Nigeria in stopping the transmission of the Wild Polio Virus for a period of fourteen months, which has exceeded WHO’s target for interruption,” said Health Permanent Secretary, Linus Awute.
Moeti is also expected to emphasize to policy makers and major stakeholders, that despite tremendous progress in Nigeria, complacency is not a luxury at the disposal of the Government and partners until the gains of this great feat is sustained for two years to be able to achieve the certification of Nigeria as a Polio-free Nation by 2017.
In order to boost population immunity of children between the ages of zero to five years, as well as achieve eradication status in 2017, Nigeria will continue to vaccinate children, irrespective of their
previous immunization status.
– CAJ News
Short URL: http://cajnewsafrica.com/?p=9063
Posted by Admin
on Oct 23 2015. Filed under Africa & World, National, Regional.
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