Federal Govt Targets Elimination Of Vaccine-derived Poliovirus, Others

The federal government has sought the support of traditional leaders in stopping the  transmission of all forms of polio virus and strengthening the country’s primary health care system.

The minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, stated this yesterday during the meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Care (PHC) Delivery (NTLC), in Abuja.

He said, “Over the past decade, we made landmark achievements in eradicating Wild Polio virus and controlling epidemic outbreaks, which are outcomes of the combined efforts of government, development partners and traditional leaders present here today.

“The journey to that goal is long and tedious, such that your dedication to it, will as always, be advocacy to the incoming Administration.

“We need to do more in terms of advocacy to the coming administration and philanthropists to invest in our PHC and for traditional leaders to demand their own standard PHC, one per political ward, from state and local governments or from politicians running for office.”

Ehanire noted that Routine immunisation is a standard service at PHCs and it is free safe, effective, and available across the country, while calling on parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive the vaccines according to the Nigerian RI schedule.

On COVID 19, he said there has been steady progress in the ongoing vaccination campaign, adding that over 66million persons have been fully vaccinated, bringing the reach to 57 percent as at February 7th, 2023.

He, however, noted that despite the progress, there are pockets of rejections and misconceptions about the vaccine, saying “This only means that there are persons out there who are aware of how vaccines work, hence the need for us to strengthen our sensitisation to our communities until everyone is vaccinated.”

The executive director of  the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCA), Dr Faisal Shuaibu, said due to inadequate routine immunisation coverage in certain states, the nation has recently seen circulating mutant polio viruses in various northern states.

He said “We must recommit ourselves to stopping the transmission of all forms of viruses especially polio, which has been the major concern and along with doing that, we are beginning to recognise that we inevitably need to strengthen our health system because the gains that we are going to make  need to be sustained by a structured entity that takes it over”.

Shuaib further remarked  that “until every variety of polio is eliminated from Nigeria, we will not be totally rid of the disease”.

On his part, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, said it is time to get rid of the emerging threats that is about coming to the people, borders and communities.

The sultan, who was represented by the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammad, said, “I can guarantee you that the traditional system has more structure and is well structured and simple to deal with and we will be able to go out and support the system since it is one of our top priorities”.