Abuja, 22 March 2016 -  In a bid to stem the resurgence of polio virus and stop importation of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), Nigeria is coordinating a comprehensive strategy with stakeholders in Cameroon, Niger and Benin Republics during the on-going National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) to provide services in border communities. The second round of the 2016 NIPDs is being implemented in 34 states from 19 to 22 March, 2016. The campaign was postponed in the Federal Capital Territory, Nassarawa, Adamawa and Rivers States to late March and early April.

To give a boost to the efforts of the government, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Nigeria facilitated synchronized activities against polio importation and other VPDs epidemics. “The persistent threat that polio resurgence poses requires all stakeholders to take the response to a new level to address any vulnerabilities”, Dr Fiona Braka, the WHO EPI Team Leader in Nigeria stated in Maiduguri, Borno State where she supervised the NIPDs.

According to Dr Braka, WHO facilitates the engagement and deployment of the best vaccination personnel in the border communities to help when other countries have not scheduled immunization activities in sync with the Nigeria calendar.

Groundwork for quality synchronization

In the south west zone, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun and Lagos states that share borders with the Republic of Benin organized a joint planning meeting with the main objective of  bringing health personnel at the international and interstate borders together, to brainstorm and develop joint micro and supervisory plans in all identified border settlements for a synchronized implementation of the NIPDs.

The head of Public Health Nursing  services  of the Republic of Benin, Dr Paul Affodafoke,  shared his propositions  on how to fine- tune the process of synchronization with the bordering States in Nigeria. Quoting from his speech which was delivered in French, he observed that “there is need to always plan adequately for synchronization between Nigeria and Republic of Benin to enable us achieve the ultimate goal of polio eradication in Africa.”

According to him, such a plan will also bolster efforts to prevent and detect suspected polio cases, urge better border surveillance, and reinforce communities’ disease reporting structures across the borders.

A similar meeting with health officials from Cameroon was conducted by Adamawa and Taraba state teams in the north east zone, as well as with Akwa Ibom in the south south geo-political axis.  In the north west states of, Jigawa, Kebbi and Zamfara, the planning meetings complemented other measures already put in place to agree on dates and identify common communities for implementation of immunization activities to prevent the presence and spread of the virus.

Surmounting all odds in the security compromised areas

Extraordinary challenges require extraordinary measures to ensure that children in the eligible age cohort are reached despite the extant insecurity. For this reason, Yobe and Borno states in the north east implemented activities in communities sharing borders with Niger and Cameroon. However, activities with Chad could not be conducted due to inaccessibility. Notwithstanding, internally displaced persons from the three (3) countries were provided with services for the treatment of childhood illnesses and other routine antigens for the reduction infant mortality.

Continuing the combined efforts

Despite the removal of Nigeria from list of endemic countries, it continues to attract global attention given its geography, high mobility of its citizens and population movements across its borders.

The combined efforts with neighboring countries therefore remain critical. This is even more expedient since wild polio virus continues to circulate in Afghanistan and Pakistan, posing a risk of importation.  Efforts will be intensified to map population movement patterns including nomads, information sharing between local counterparts along the border areas, synchronization of vaccination activities and surveillance.

The Zamfara state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu Gummi succinctly captured the importance of continued synchronization when he posited that “Nigeria must continue to remain vigilant for cases that might cross the border. Eradicating the disease, which incapacitates infected children, will make an enormous contribution to Nigeria’s social and economic advancement”.

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Technical contact:

Dr Fiona Braka; Tel: +234 703 170 5252; Email:  brakaf [at] who.int
Media contact:

Ms  Charity Warigon; Tel: +234 810 221 0093; Email:  warigonc [at] who.int
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Below:

01. The Zamfara state Commissioner for Health checking a tally sheet at  border post

02. Group photograph of participants of planning meeting with the Commissioner for Health in Ogun State, Dr Ipaye (middle)

03. WHO Nigeria LGA facilitator cross-checking border post data   at Lutu in Cameroon