Kaduna Discovers Fresh Cases of Wild Polio Virus

In Kaduna state, about 17 cases of Wild Polio Virus (WPV)were recently discovered, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Everton Yari Peters has said. He spoke during the 18th Expert Review Committee meeting on polio eradication on Thursday in Kaduna, adding that efforts were continuously being made to improve the health situation of the people of the state as the government had committed about N70million on every round of immunization in the state. According to him, the state government had provided kits and drugs worth over N65million for tackling the WPV and the items were kept in the state's warehouses. However, the Executive Secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency ( NPHCDA) Dr. Muhammed Pate has said on the occasion that the lackadaisical attitude of some local government councils and state governments constituted a hindrance to the total eradication of the wild polio virus from Nigeria. Pate explained that in spite of the progress being made by the country in the efforts to eradicate polio, the seeming nonchalant stance of some local council authorities and state governments posed a serious challenge to the fight against polio. "Many council chairmen and state governors are yet to lend their support to the crusade against the disease. This been responsible for the low coverage of routine immunization programmes in such local councils and states where the disease has continued to ravage the populace." "Parents in such councils and states are yet to understand the benefit of immunization having been misinformed about it. There are now clear evidence of progress in the nation's efforts at eradicating polio as more children are being immunized with potent and safe vaccines." This has resulted in the reduction of the number of children paralyzed by polio this year to half of what it was last year. We have saved hundreds of children from needless paralysis, disability and death as a result of the wild polio virus." " Alongside this progress on polio, we have trained health workers, mobilized communities, delivered other interventions such as measles vaccines and Vitamin supplements and many pluses to women and children all over Nigeria," he said. The Federal Government,he added, is proud of its achievements so far in the polio programme as these achievements were made possible only by the genuine partnership with state governments and traditional leaders in a cause that bears hope for present and future generations of Nigerian children. Victor Ulasi International Correspondent member_07