Dr. Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHDA, virtually briefed State House correspondents after a virtual NEC meeting anchored from the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Shuaib said he made a presentation to the council on three broad areas—the COVID-19 vaccination update, polio eradication and also routine immunisation.

“In terms of where we are with COVID-19 vaccination, we now have vaccinated successfully, 46 million Nigerians.

“This represents about 42 per cent of the totally eligible Nigerians and it is in keeping with what the Presidential Steering Committee and the Federal Ministry of Health have been tracking in term of our targets.

“We have also recognised an increase in the number of people who are getting vaccinated; a few months ago, by the average daily vaccination rate was about 200, 000 people per day but now we are vaccinating over 350, 000 Nigerians per day.

“And this is really commendable; it is worth mentioning as well that the federal government has adequate numbers of COVID-19 vaccinations to cover all Nigerians.’’

According to Faisal, there is the need for more Nigerians to come out enmasse to take the vaccinations.

On polio eradication, the NPHDA boss said that the last case of the wild polio virus in Nigeria was in August, 2016.

“So, this means that as we celebrate world polio virus day by nest week Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari has actually fulfilled his promise that he will not hand over a Nigeria that has children with these viruses.

“Then, we have seen in the last 24 months, increase in the reported cases circulating variant polio viruses but thanks the incredible work of states working with our partners under the leadership of the president.

“We recorded a decrease in the numbers of circulating polio viruses from 806 cases around this time last year, we now have reported 133 cases in 2022 given the same period.

READ ALSO: Lagos kicks-off COVID-19 Scale 0.3, states reason

“And then the number of local government areas that are reporting circulating variant polio viruses have also decreased from 186 to just 48 local government areas.

“Again significant improvement in the success rate; thanks to Nigerians coming forth with their children and getting vaccinated.’’

He added that there had been massive improvements in routine immunisation.

According to him, Nigeria is only one of five countries globally where the pandemic did not negatively impact routine immunisation coverage.

“Again, thanks to all the leadership we have seen at the national and sub-national level and of course, the hard work of frontline health workers,’’ he said.

Source: NAN

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Adeyanju told newsmen in Ilorin on the sidelines of a reception organised for him by Kwara Rotary Club that the adventure was tortuous and risky.

“Truth is that every kilometre of the 12,000km I covered was fraught with challenges, pains and difficulties.

“Several times I came close to dying. I actually saw death several times. When people say they saw death I never believed that, but when I saw that like four times in Sahara and Mali I now believe that death exists.

“God just wants to keep me alive that is why death did not take me. But one thing I said to myself was that whatever it took I would not quit,” said the biker.

On the motive behind the adventure, he said that “Doing this was basically to achieve two purposes of raising awareness of end polio message by seeing how we can see the level of vaccines acceptance. The second objective was to raise fund.

“For me, the two had been accomplished because everybody is now aware of polio. Polio has got a renewed drive as we have the vaccines to end the virus.

“I am very happy that the message has taken a global dimension,” he said.

“I covered a total of 12,000km spanning through 13 countries and 41 cities.

“I left London April 19 and arrived Lagos on May 29,” he said.

The President of Presidents of Rotary Clubs in the state, Otunba Rich Oladele, said that the bike rider had done the state and indeed Nigeria proud.

“He has written the name of Nigeria on global map and in the Guinness Book of Records.

“He is a member of Rotary Club International,” Oladele said.

Source: NAN

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Hawkins disclosed this in his remarks at  the third quarter Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Cares, PHC, review meeting on Monday in Abuja.

Vaccine-derived cases are rare, and they differ from wild cases.

There are two kinds of polio cases; Wild cases of polio are caused by poliovirus that is circulating naturally in the environment.

Vaccine-derived polioviruses are extremely rare and exist under specific circumstances.

Oral polio vaccine contains live virus that is weakened so that it will prompt the body’s immune response without causing paralysis.

He noted that that vaccine was ingested, and the weakened virus replicated in the child’s gut and was then excreted.

“In areas with poor sanitation, this excreted vaccine virus can spread to other children. This can actually be good because it then immunizes them. When the strain no longer finds susceptible children, it dies out,” he added.

Hawkins warned against the dangers of undermining routine immunization.

“The problem occurs in areas of low vaccination. There, such vaccine-derived strains of the virus can continue to circulate as long as they continue to find unvaccinated or otherwise susceptible children.

“While they continue to circulate, they mutate. Eventually, if they are allowed to circulate long enough, at least 12 months, they can mutate into strains that are strong enough to cause paralysis,” he explained.

He assured that the oral polio vaccine had reduced the number of polio cases by 99.9 per cent.

Noting that the risk posed by wild poliovirus was far greater than the risk of an outbreak caused by circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus, the Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, was providing leadership in the systematic engagement of the traditional leaders in the South-West with the South-West Traditional Leaders’ Committee on PHC delivery that was inaugurated by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, on September 2, 2021, at his Imperial Majesty’s palace, Ile-Ife.

“This shows that our traditional leaders have the interest of their community at heart and are collaborating with the government in ensuring basic healthcare services are available to the people,” he said.

Shuaib noted that with the different disease outbreaks that the country was contending with, it was imperative that the  approach became more integrated.

“This is because they are all interwoven. Amidst COVID-19, we have Cholera, CVDPV2 which is as a result of suboptimal routine immunization in some parts of the country.

“As we conduct outbreak response campaigns, we need to find a way to integrate our responses for efficient utilisation of available resources and to enhance confidence in our people,” he added.

The NPHCDA noted that the integration would also enhance the agency’s determination to continue to safeguard the wild polio virus free status.

“Consequently, Your Highnesses, mobilization, sensitization, advocacy and role modelling efforts should target multiple interventions simultaneously.

“It is in the spirit of integration that we have adopted what we call the PSI (primary health care services integration) or ‘the whole of family approach’ for this second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination.

“It entails checking the blood pressure and assessing the diabetes risk status of clients 40 years and above and screening children 0 to 12 months for malnutrition and routine immunization status,” he explained.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative, Dr Kofi Boateng, EPI Focal Point, Universal Health Coverage (UHC), said that the meeting was in the right direction, noting that the role traditional institutions played in the eradication of diseases such as polio was achieved due to lead position they played in the society.

Boateng stressed that in the delivery of quality PHC and the attainment of UHC, health security and routine immunization by the traditional leaders were crucial.

“Traditional leaders are needed for monitoring and accountability in the implementation of health policy to ensure health security,” he added.

Also speaking, Alhaji Samala Muhammadu Mera, the Emir of Argungu, assured that the committee was working to ensure that all eligible Nigerians took the COVID-19 vaccines as they became available.

Mera said the committee working with traditional and religious leaders was taking steps to educate citizens in their community on the safety of the vaccines and the danger of not taking it.

He said that nearly all village and district heads had taken the vaccine as a ways of setting example for others to follow.

He said, “What we intend to do as a committee is that we want to lead by example. I have taken my two shots and I believe every member of the committee has taken. We have also advised and guided our councillors and members to also take it.”

Source: NAN

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WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti said that although COVID-19 had threatened the success of polio vaccination, it was possible to overcome the final hurdles.

Moeti, in a statement, stated that WHO had the know-how, but needed to be backed by committed resources to reach all under-vaccinated communities.

The polio programme has a history of supporting the response to emerging health threats in the region, including Ebola and COVID-19, and half of polio surge staff are currently helping countries with COVID-19 surveillance, contact tracing and community engagement.

According to WHO, African states overseen by the African Regional Office of WHO remained committed to ending all remaining forms of polio.

The Regional Office has also presented a scorecard to track progress towards the eradication of the virus as Africa was certified free of wild poliovirus one year ago, after four years without a case.

However, outbreaks of a vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) is spreading in African communities where too few children have received the polio vaccine.

cVDPV is a weakened strain of the virus that has changed over time and behaves more like the naturally occurring poliovirus.

Since 2018, 23 African countries have experienced outbreaks and more than half of the 1071 global cVDPV cases were recorded in Africa.

According to WHO, cases increased in 2020 partly because of disruptions to polio vaccination campaigns caused by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, WHO has said that the next three months will be a critical period for stepping up global collective action against future pandemics, citing three major meetings on the international agenda.

WHO is progressing with plans to strengthen global defense against future epidemics and pandemics, he said, pointing at the UN General Assembly in September, followed by the G20 Summit in October, and a special session of WHO’s governing body set for November.

The next three months, therefore, represent “a critical period for shaping the future of pandemic preparedness and response,” he added

WHO said that the commitments came at the just concluded virtual 71st meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa.

Although the COVID-19 caseload stabilised last week, after nearly two months of increases, the level remains high, according to WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreysus.

Ghebreysus said at a news briefing that COVID-19 cases had surpassed 4.5 million globally, with 68,000 deaths.

“Some regions and countries continue to see steep increases in cases and deaths, while others are declining,” he reported. “As long as this virus is circulating anywhere, it’s a threat everywhere,” he said.

Source: NAN

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President Buhari spoke 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 fulfilment 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,’’ the President said in his remarks celebrating the historic feat.

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.

He said Nigeria used data systems, community engagement and innovative technology to monitor and predict the occurrence of polio outbreaks, adding that these same skills and tools were being used to fight COVID-19 and the multi-country outbreaks of Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Viruses.

President Buhari, 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.

‘‘We must guard this achievement of the eradication of Wild Polio Virus in Africa jealously and ensure that we take all necessary steps to prevent a resurgence of this dreaded disease.

‘‘This will require maintaining the highest quality of surveillance and sustaining population immunity through increasing routine immunization coverage and supplemental immunization activities.

‘‘It is heartwarming to note how the strong partnership between the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and Governments of African countries worked tirelessly and collaboratively to deliver this success,’’ he said.

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.

‘‘I would also like to appreciate the invaluable support of our donors, development and local partners such as WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation, United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, GAVI, USAID, European Union, Emeka Offor Foundation, the Japanese and German Governments, numerous NGOs and faith-based organisations.

‘‘These are truly the heroes and heroines of many battles that have made us triumphant in the war against polio,’’ he said.

Stressing the need to sustain vaccination of children in Africa, the president urged African governments to continue investments in the health sector because ‘‘healthy populations create wealthy nations.’’

‘‘We must continue to build trust between government institutions, leaders and citizens, so that we can unite as a people and confront the health and socio-economic challenges we face together,’’ he said.

In his remarks, Chairman, Aliko Dangote Foundation and Africa’s foremost philanthropist, Aliko Dangote, urged governments across Africa to increase their budget allocations to the healthcare sector, to help ensure improved basic healthcare for the people.

Dangote expressed deep satisfaction at the final eradication of wild polio in Nigeria, and by extension Africa after years of hard work and collaboration among stakeholders.

Dangote, who played a major role through his Foundation in the eradication of Polio in Nigeria, said, “I want to commend our African leaders, especially my own President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria for his leadership. All levels of government have successfully come together to make this day possible.”

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He emphasized the importance of the capacity of hardworking men and women in the health industry, who drew resources and support from multiple sectors.

The president who made the remark in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in Abuja an Sunday also thanked all partners, local and international, for their contribution to the success.

His words: “This achievement is not only one of the great successes of this generation of Nigerians but also one of the obvious dividends of this administration, which is consistent with our progressive investment in the health of our people since 2015.

“This landmark achievement is also a promise kept to all Nigerians. As you will recall that in August 2015, barely three months after we assumed office, I promised Nigerians that: ‘My government shall provide the necessary resources and commitment required to strengthen the health system, routine immunisation and ensure the country is certified Polio free.’’

The president noted that in 2016 the country suffered a major setback in the wild polio eradication efforts with the outbreak of the Wild Polio Virus in Borno, after about two years without any case.

Buhari recalled that he promptly directed the immediate release of N9.8 billion to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to contain the outbreak.

“Subsequently, we have been meeting all our financial obligations to bilateral and multilateral agreements, and also provided the moral support and leadership required at all levels to motivate the men and women in the frontline of polio eradication.

“In addition, we sincerely appreciate our donors and development partners who stood by the country during those trying times,’’ he added.

According to him, this achievement of polio free status is a hard-won battle spanning over three decades of hard work and dedication by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

He also lauded the Federal, States and Local Governments, polio eradication team at all levels, the nation donors and development partners, both local and international for their contributions in achieving this feat.

“As we recall, the polio eradication structures were used when Nigeria successfully eradicated Ebola Virus Disease within the shortest possible time in 2014.

“I am glad that these same human, material and technological resources have been deployed to steadily increase Routine Immunisation coverage and are being organised to implement the fight against community transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This big battle would not have been won without the support of our donors and development partners.

“These include Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Rotary International, United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, USAID, Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and European Union.”

The president also acknowledged the contributions of the Global Health Canada, German Development Bank (KfW), WHO, UNICEF, Nigeria Governor’s Forum, Polio Survivors Group, the media, faith-based and other non-governmental organisations.

Besides, Buhari noted the immense contribution of traditional and religious leaders who mobilised communities to accept immunisation and other government programmes.

“The final theatre of the polio eradication fight was particularly championed by the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Polio Eradication and Primary Health Care (NTLC) under the guidance of His Highness, Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saad Abubakar, and strategic leadership of late Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Ibn Umar El-Kanemi.

“We thank you all for the leadership and partnership over the years,” the president said.

Source: NAN

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The UN health agency disclosed this on its regional office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, official twitter account @WHOAFRO.

“Today, Nigeria’s complete documentation for Wild Polio virus free status was accepted by the Africa Regional Certification Commission for polio eradication (ARCC).

“It is a historic day for Nigeria, Africa and the Global Polio Programme,’’ WHO said.

Meanwhile, Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director and CEO of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), in a tweet at @drfaisalshuaib described the documentation as historical.

“Amazing moment in history to have had our polio-eradication documentation accepted by (ARCC); the Nigeria team led by NPHCDA and partners demonstrated evidence of our polio-free status.

“Nigeria achieving a Wild Polio Virus-free status today, is significant on multiple fronts.

“I look back at the incredible leadership that has brought us here.

“Apart from President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, the two most important people who have made it possible due to their financial and technological contributions have been Mr Aliko Dangote and Mr Bill Gates.

“Thanks for this unquantifiable gift to Nigeria,’’ he said.

Source: NAN

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According to the committee, the available result, has shown that Osun State came second on Smart Survey by scoring 97% .

Osun Immunization Task-Force Committee led by the Executive Secretary, Osun Primary Health Care Board, Dr Oluwole Fabiyi, made the disclosure in Osogbo while briefing the Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Prince Oluwole Oyebamiji, about the successes and challenges encountered by the committee.

The Task-Force Committee on Immunization further said that Osun had become a pace-setter in qualitative health care service delivery and in the fight against any preventable diseases.

The committee therefore disclosed that arrangement for another round of routine immunisation for children in all the nooks and cranny of Osun had kicked off on Saturday.

He noted that the four-day planned routine immunization would be an Oral Polio Vaccination, OPV, for the children between the ages of  zero to five and the vaccination was to guide against Poliomyelitis.

The committee also applauded Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for the new approved salary structure for health workers in the state and other support given to Osun Primary Health Care Board in carrying out its mandate which were said to be yielding positive results.

They however pledged to be more dedicated and committed to the assignment in making Osun a Polio-free state and appealed for more government support, especially in their area of challenges which included funding.

In his response, the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Oluwole Oyebamiji, hinted that Governor Oyetola would leave no stone unturned in the health sector, noting that the health and security of the people of the state were paramount in the mind of Governor Oyetola.

Prince Oyebamiji reiterated the efforts of the present administration in ensuring that 332 Primary Health Centres were rehabilitated across all wards in the state in order to improve the health status of the people .

He however assured the Osun Task-Force on Immunization on the State Government’s readiness to give them the needed support to fulfill their mandate and desired success.

Highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the Polio coverage data as they affect each of the local government in the state.

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The exercise was part of the activities commemorating the World Polio Day and deepening the campaign against all forms of environment abuses that are capable of posing health hazards to the people, according to Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi who led the programme.

“Government is aware of environmental challenges in the state and would spare no effort in fixing them. River Amule is one of the rivers with polio infection threat and we needed to clear this river and other ones to eliminate polio totally out of the state,” Alabi stated this at Amule in Ilorin East local government area of the state at the flag off of the cleaning exercise.

Alabi said the government would continue to educate the public to imbibe the habit of keeping their environment clean.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had recently inaugurated a task force chaired by the Deputy Governor to ensure proper and timely immunisation against polio and other diseases.

Organized by the state’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Thursday sanitation programme was attended by environmental health workers, volunteer students of the university of Ilorin and members of the Rotary Club.

Amosa Isiaka Al-Amin, Permanent Secretary of the Environment Ministry, said the choice of Amule River for the flag off of the clean-up exercise followed a WHO’s survey on the polio threatening rivers in the city, where Amule emerged as one that mostly harboured polio virus.

“We found out that this river is one of the rivers that harbour polio virus which means there is the need for its clean-up. The state government has purchased some chemicals that can render the virus impotent and that is why we commence the mop-up exercise here,” according to Al-Amin.

He decried the rising menace of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and open defecation in the city, noting that it did not only constitute environmental challenge but it was also a threat to public health.

Al-Amin listed other places where public enlightenment would hold to include Alanamu, Sabojo – along Abdulazeez Attah road and Offa Garage, all in the capital city.

Otunba Rick Oladele, chairman of Health Committee, Rotary Club of Ilorin, lamented that Nigeria remained the only endemic nation in the African sub-region on the WHO’s polio map.

He said the club would soon organise a mega walk to further educate the public on the subject.

Miss Lateefah Abdulkarim, President of the University of Ilorin Students’ One Health Initiative, UNILOSOHI, emphasised the need for parents to present their children for vaccination to make them healthy and prevent diseases.

AbdulKarim called on residents of Ilorin to maintain a cleaner and safer environment in order to live a healthy life.

“People should be able to understand that the environment is very important to their health and well-being and it must be taken seriously to avert outbreak of diseases,” she added.

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The president, who noted the attainment of three years without a recorded polio incident, achieved by his administration with local and international support, said it was something not only to cherish, but one that also requireds sustained vigilance.

President Buhari who was speaking at a courtesy call on him by Mr. Andrew Young, the former Ambassador of the United States to the United Nations, accompanied by the board of Emeka Offor Foundation in Nigeria, said: “The best asset to give to the people is health and education. You free them from the tendencies of under-development, especially religious and ethnic manipulations which are challenges facing us at this stage of our development”.

He however expressed optimism that the challenges would wither away with time.

“We have to march gradually. It is impossible to be in a hurry. We are seeking inclusive development without leaving a majority of our people behind,” the President said.

President Buhari also commended the social and humanitarian activities of Sir Emeka Offor, especially in the areas of education and health: “You are translating the success you achieved into social service. This is what the government is doing, so you are helping us in many ways. I commend your activities in the area of health and education to other successful Nigerians.”

In his address at the meeting, Ambassador Young expressed happiness with the Buhari administration’s effort toward Polio eradication.

He commended the President’s leadership of the country, saying, “at a time when nations of the world are pulling apart, we are happy that Nigeria is stable and secure under you. We will continue working with Nigeria because we consider ourselves as part of the family.”

In his remarks, Ambassador Howard Jeter, a former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria said President Buhari’s re-election was, “a real boom for the future of Nigeria.”

He outlined on-going efforts of the Emeka Offor Foundation, in partnership with the Andrew Young Foundation, to supply millions of books to schools, ensure the complete eradication of polio, attack River Blindness with about 40 million afflicted mostly in the South-east and the South-south areas of the country and,  in the near future, also start a campaign against cervical cancer, for which Nigeria holds a world record.

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