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By Muhyideen Jimoh
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate and Sir Emeka Offor, a philanthropist, have called for increased immunisation awareness to totally eradicate polio in Nigeria.
The minister made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a symbolic polio immunisation event organised by the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF) to mark the 2024 World Polio Day (WPD).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that World Polio Day is annually commemorated on Oct. 24 to raise awareness about the devastating impact of polio.
The theme for 2024 global observance is “A Global Mission to Reach Every Child” which focuses on the continued efforts to ensure all children are vaccinated against polio, particularly in regions where the virus remains a threat.
Pate, therefore, stressed the need for vigilance and sustained collective campaign, especially in the rural areas to avoid a resurgence of any variant in the country.
He commended the giant strides of the SEOF in its bid to eliminate polio in Nigeria, while calling on other stakeholders to emulate the foundation.
He said “Sir Emeka Offor has done so much in the fight to eradicate polio in Nigeria.
“I am happy with him and I pray he continues in this efforts, I can see women and their children, their faces here demonstrate that all is well with them.”
Earlier, Offor, who is also the Rotary International Polio Ambassador to Nigeria, said his foundation would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the polio virus is banished from Nigeria.
“Notwithstanding, these efforts and enormous resources so far committed, the job is not finished.
“With two countries of Pakistan Afghanistan yet to reach the finish line, there is still the danger of this scourge in the world. This demands our renewed commitment and innovative approaches,” he said.
In his remarks, Mike Ukachi, Pioneer District Governor of 9127 Rotary International Nigeria, said as spearheading partner in the fight against polio, his team had been on ground with vaccines in this regard.
“We are not going to keep quiet because these little ones you are seeing here were not vaccinated when we declared that we are polio-free in Nigeria.
“So, we will continue routine vaccination until this polio is finally stamped out of Nigeria,” he said.
Also at the occasion, Mrs Adaora Offor, charged stakeholders to expand their scope of awareness and ensure a holistic approach in the fight against polio.
In the same vein, Mr Adetokunbo Kayode, former Minister of Tourism and Culture, urged the Federal Government to make it mandatory for all Nigerian children to undergo polio immunisation.
“Poverty must be fought everywhere for our children and kicking away polio is kicking away poverty.
“Polio is like a death sentence in Africa,” he said.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recently declared that in spite of Nigeria’s success in the fight against polio, about 2.3 million Nigerian children are yet to receive routine immunisation (zero dose).(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu
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