Abuja 09 September 2015: The highest level of commitment to polio eradication was yet again demonstrated by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari when he flagged off the sixth immunization campaign in his home town of Daura local government area (LGA) in Katsina state on Saturday, 5th September 2015. The President personally administered drops of polio vaccine to children less than five years of age at his residence in Daura.

In his remarks at the occasion, the Governor of Katsina Aminu Bello Masari expressed appreciation to the federal government and development partners for their commitment to eradicating polio virus in the country. Governor Masari disclosed that, “based on the directives from Mr. President, Katsina state has developed a comprehensive plan that will ensure a successful campaign in the state. We have also mobilized the resources and deployed senior government officials in the state and LGAs to supervise the campaign”.

Speaking on behalf of the development partners and the WHO Country Representative Dr Rui Gama Vaz, the state Coordinator of WHO in Katsina, Dr Ali Takai, revealed that plans are in top gear to ensure a successful immunization campaign. He then expressed WHO continued commitment in supporting and collaborating with the national and State Authorities towards achieving the PEI objectives.

In a related development, Kano State Governor Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje kicked off the September polio immunization campaign in Gezawa LGA of Kano state. The Governor, who was in the company of the Emir of Kano, HRH Mallam Muhammadu Sunusi II, warned against complacency and urged immunization personnel to intensify efforts to ensure that no case of polio virus is recorded in the state.

It is to be recalled that  President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier in the year, while vaccinating his grandchild, specifically called on all “Governors, our Traditional and Religious Leaders, the private sector and  Mothers and Fathers to redouble their effort in ensuring that every child and every newborn baby is vaccinated with the polio vaccine and other lifesaving routine vaccines”. The call by Mr. President resonates with the recommendations of the 30th Expert Review Committee on Polio Eradication, which encourages Nigeria to sustain the hard fought gains and address the risks that threaten completion of polio eradication by ensuring state governors reaffirm their Abuja Commitments. In 2009, governors in Nigeria signed a declaration to provide strong political leadership to polio eradication activities in their respective states.

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For more information on this story, contact:

Dr Ali Guda Takai – Tel: +234 803 617 5570, Email: takaial [at] who.int
Dr Bashir Abba – Tel: +23480 27379586, Email: abbab [at] who.int