The Chief Oversight Officer, Sustainable Health International, Dr. Mike Omotosho, has said that Nigeria is not yet free from polio. The World Health Organisation on September 25 had delisted Nigeria from the comity of countries with polio. Nigeria, according to Omotosho, needs three consecutive years of non-interrupted transmission of polio cases before it can be free from the disease. Omotosho, who is also the Governor of Rotary International District 9125, stated this at a briefing in Ilorin, Kwara State.Noting that there has been international support to fight polio, Omotosho explained that the Rotary had invested up to $1.4bn to fight polio across the world He added, “Since the global initiative began more than 26 years ago, Rotary has contributed over $1.4bn and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. This has helped in reducing polio cases by 99.9 per cent worldwide.
“For as little as 60 cents worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life. After an international investment of more than $9bn, and the successful engagement of over 200 countries and 20 million volunteers, polio could be the first human disease of the 21st century to be eradicated. “We are close to eradicating polio. Over 99 per cent of the children of the world have received polio vaccine. You can find polio only in two nations, not in the 125 countries when we started in 1988. Nigeria will soon be polio free.”
Source:Punch Nigeria
