By Olanrewaju Ajao President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday announced plans to reconstitute an expanded task force on polio eradication.
The President made the announcement yesterday while receiving Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, Nigerian billionaire, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and officials of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at the State House, Abuja.
“I would like to assure you that the Federal government will continue to provide strong oversight and funding for polio program. To this effect, we will reconstitute an expanded Presidential Taskforce on Polio which will include the 36 states’ Governors to sustain the successes of our current polio eradication activities such as surveillance and routine immunization programs.
“I am pleased to inform you that the 6 states mostly impacted by polio have signed an MoU on routine immunization. This MOU is a commitment by the State Governments, namely Kano, Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Sokoto and Yobe, to strengthen Primary Health care system through community sensitization and support programs.
Based on this, I will take this opportunity to call on all state governors, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the Federal Ministry of Health to sustain this momentum to ensure we maintain the zero polio case status,” the President said.
President Buhari recognized the heroics of Nigeria’s eradication team under the National Primary Health Care Development Agency of the Federal Ministry of Health as well as the WHO, UNICEF, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CDC, USAID, Rotary, Faith based organizations, Traditional Rulers, vaccinators and caregivers.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF) and governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji AbdulAziz Yari, noted that though Nigeria, not too long ago, ranked highest in Africa and globally too in the polio disease burden, today, the story is different.
He said the achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the support and commitment of international donors and partners.
He also acknowledged the commitment of all stakeholders who have embarked on the long journey to eradicate the disease in the country.
“While we celebrate the successes made so far. “We are in no position to celebrate polio eradication in Nigeria because we cannot ascertain at this point if the virus is still in our environment or not. We cannot afford to take any chances now,” he said.
