FG, UNICEF And Partners Target 5 Million Children For Polio Immunization

Following the confirmation of two fresh cases of polio virus (read here) in Northeast Nigeria, Borno State, the Federal Ministry of Health supported by WHO, UNICEF and partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative have rolled out an emergency Polio immunization campaign in the state this week, an official said.

Vanguard reports that with about one million children in Borno State and a further four million in neighboring states are being targeted for the emergency immunization against the Wild Polio Virus.

It was also gathered that military helicopters have already begun transporting polio vaccines to the area.

“This is an area which is not easily accessible and this is probably why the virus has been able to circulate without being detected and it’s causing these cases,” said Director of Polio Eradication of the World Health Organization, Michel Zaffran.

Giving details about the outbreak, the UNICEF Chief of Communication, Doune Porter, said in a statement in Abuja on Friday that the campaign would commence in the accessible parts of the state, stating that the outbreak occurred in the conflict-ridden state where children were already facing dangerously high levels of malnutrition, according to Pulse.

He added that the outbreak underlined risks for children in conflict and underscored the urgent need to eradicate the disease in conflict-affected areas.

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“We cannot deny the connection between conflict and the continued threat of polio. The two new cases mean children across the Lake Chad region are now at particular risk.

“With our partners, we will not stop until we reach every child with polio vaccination,” Porter said.