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Nigeria is the worst hit polio nation — WHO

The World Health Organisation has identified Nigeria as the country with the highest figure of poliomyelitis cases. The World Health Organisation Country Representative in Nigeria, … Continue reading Nigeria is the worst hit polio nation — WHO


The World Health Organisation has identified Nigeria as the country with the highest figure of poliomyelitis cases.

The World Health Organisation Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr. David Okello, disclosed this in Lagos on Saturday, at the installation ceremony of the new District Governor of Rotary International District 9110, Dr. Kamoru Omotosho, for 2012-2013.

Okello, who  noted that Nigeria was ranked alongside two other countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, which are still grappling with the problem.

According to him,  “Indeed Nigeria is now the largest contributor of global polio burden -nearly 60 per cent. Nigeria is also the only country in the world to have all three types of polio virus — Type 1, Type 3, and circulating vaccine-derived Type 2 viruses.”

He explained that the transmission of the disease in Nigeria poses a real threat to the global polio eradication effort.

Giving further statistics, he stated that of the 49 cases reported in the country currently, “two-thirds are from four particular sanctuaries — the northern states of Borno, Kano, Sokoto and Zamfara.”

He, however, commended the concerted efforts of Rotarians worldwide at eradicating the disease as well as committing their expertise and resources to improving the welfare of communities.