Abuja, 14 November, 2015: The recent removal of Nigeria from the list of polio endemic countries notwithstanding, the Immunization, Vaccines and Emergencies (IVE) cluster of the World Health Organization (WHO) is re-strategizing for the final push to eradicate polio in Nigeria. In its latest strategy, the cluster plans to leverage on the recorded gains in interruption of WPV towards certification in 2017.

Pursuant to the goal of achieving certification and sustain high population immunity, the IVE cluster has concluded two (2) separate zonal workshops to review the performance of WHO EPI team on 17-18 September in Uyo, Akwa Ibom for the southern states and 11-12 November 2015 in Makurdi, Benue for the northern states, in order to efficiently position staff members towards providing the needed technical support to the Nigerian government.

Dr Fiona Braka, the IVE Cluster Coordinator for Nigeria who clearly set the objectives of the review meetings stated that, “moving forward, the areas of focus will include: maintaining vigilance at all levels towards certification; improving quality to reach missed children in poor performing and underserved populations; increasing reach in the security compromised areas; emergency preparedness, timely and adequate outbreak response; and intensifying advocacy, community demand and trust”.

Furthermore, she mentioned that maintaining certification standard surveillance at sub national level, and intensifying support for routine immunization strengthening are other key areas to prioritize for ensuring total eradication of polio in Nigeria.

To achieve these, Dr Braka tasked the 104 Zonal and State Coordinators as well as Data Managers and operations staff at both meetings to be agents for the resilience needed to steer the programme in the direction of the milestones set.

Meantime, Dr Braka commended the team for the great job in supporting the country to achieve the crucial milestone in polio eradication “which brings the African region a step closer to eradication”, and announced to participants at the northern review that the IVE team in Nigeria has been nominated for the WHO AFRO award of  “Outstanding Team in 2015”.

On other levels of interactions, state officials at both review meetings also commended WHO for its consistent stewardship in polio eradication and global health security.

Speaking at the southern review, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, commended the tremendous efforts and achievements of WHO in containing disease outbreaks and emergencies. He specifically paid glowing tributes to the WHO support for containment of Ebola outbreak in 2014 and for assisting government at all levels to achieve polio interruption. He pledged government’s commitment in the state towards providing the enabling environment for WHO’s continued support.

In his submission at the northern states review,  Dr Joseph Kumba, Director Public Health of the Benue Ministry of Health described WHO as one of the most important partners in the fight against polio and the advancement of routine immunization in the state.  “The presence of WHO personnel at every level of immunization operations in the state has helped us to achieve the desired surveillance and immunization indicators in the state” Dr Kumba disclosed.

_____________________________________________

For more information, please contact:

Technical contacts:

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