Report that the Africa Regional Certification Commission has declared Nigeria and the rest of Africa polio-free is quite cheering. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this marks the eradication of a second virus from the face of the continent since smallpox 40 years ago.
This is a welcome development, considering the fact that the coronavirus pandemic had wreaked enormous damage on Nigeria’s economy amidst other ravaging diseases like malaria, hepatitis, worm infestation, cancer, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, among others.
The WHO said that polio is no longer endemic in Nigeria, leaving the devastating disease endemic in only two countries and bringing the world one major step closer to achieving this goal of ending polio for good.
“The outstanding commitment and efforts that got Nigeria off the endemic list must continue, to keep Africa polio-free,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan. “We must now support the efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan so they soon join the polio-free world.”
Since 1988, the incidence of polio has been reduced by more than 99 per cent, according to WHO. At the time, more than 350,000 children were paralysed every year, in more than 125 endemic countries. Today, two countries remain which have never stopped endemic transmission of polio: Pakistan and Afghanistan, where there have been in 2015, 41 cases reported (32 in Pakistan, 9 in Afghanistan).
In its announcement last week, WHO said that Nigeria has made remarkable progress against polio, but continued vigilance is needed to protect these gains and ensure that polio does not return. Nigeria has not reported a case of wild poliovirus since July 24, 2014, and all laboratory data has confirmed that a full 12 months have passed without any new cases.
Immunization and surveillance activities must continue to rapidly detect a potential re-introduction or re-emergence of the virus, the agency said, explaining that only after three years have passed without a case of wild poliovirus on the African continent will an official ”certification” of polio eradication be conducted at the regional level in Africa.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the public-private partnership leading the effort to eradicate polio on the planet, called the development a ”historic achievement” in global health. As recently as 2012, Nigeria accounted for more than half of all polio cases worldwide, according to WHO.
“More than 200,000 volunteers across the country repeatedly immunized more than 45 million children under the age of 5, to ensure that no child would suffer from this paralysing disease,” the agency said.
In a statement last week, the organisation commended donors and health workers for saving the lives of children who have been suffering from the disease. “Thanks to the relentless efforts by governments, donors, frontline health workers and communities, up to 1.8 million children have been saved from the crippling life-long paralysis.”
A visibly elated President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed optimism that African countries can defeat the coronavirus pandemic the same manner it eradicated the wild polio virus on the continent. The president said at the formal certification of the Wild Polio Virus eradication in the African region during the virtual session of the 70th World Health Organisation (WHO) regional committee for Africa.
“I recall that shortly after assuming office in May 2015, I made a pledge to Nigerians that I would not bequeath a polio-endemic country to my successor. This certification is, therefore, a personal fulfillment of that pledge to not only Nigerians, but to all Africans.
“At a time when the global community is battling the COVID-19 pandemic, this achievement strengthens my conviction that with the requisite political will, investments and strategies, as well as citizens’ commitment, we will flatten the epidemic curve. I can affirm the commitment of all African leaders to this course of action,” he said.
The president assured the global community that Nigeria would sustain the momentum and leverage on the lessons learnt from polio eradication to strengthen her health system, especially primary health care, and prioritise health security.
The president, who described the achievement as a truly historic moment, commended President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Chairman of the African Union, under whose leadership, Africa crossed the finishing line. He recounted that the journey to eradicate the virus dates back to 1996, when Nelson Mandela of blessed memory launched the Kick Polio out of Africa campaign.
The Nigerian leader also used the occasion to congratulate Dr. Matshidiso Moeti and the WHO Regional Committee for Africa on their untiring efforts, contributions and leadership towards polio eradication in Africa.
The president further commended the decades of hard work and resilience of health workers and volunteers across the region, ministers of health and other stakeholders such as political, traditional, religious and community leaders who provided the required support and leadership.
We commend President Buhari, donor agencies and health workers for the feat in wiping out polio from Nigeria. We, however, advise that they should not rest on their oars at intensifying efforts to avoid a relapse. It is also expedient that the federal government adopts a more pragmatic and radical approach in the fight against other diseases including the coronavirus pandemic.
