One case detected as polio resurfaces in Nigeria

The government of Adamawa State, North-East Nigeria, on Saturday confirmed the discovery of Vaccine Derived Poliovirus (VDPV) type 2 case in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Abdullahi Isa, disclosed this during the official flag-off of First Round Outbreak Response Immunisation in Yola.

Isa described the VDPV as a strain of the weakened Poliovirus that was initially included in Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus.

He expressed concern that the re-emergence of the virus in the state was a great challenge and a signal for the possible outbreak of the transmitted virus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Nigeria polio-free in August 2020.

READ ALSO: We spent N867.3b on campaign to end polio in Nigeria —UK Govt

The commissioner said: “One case of Circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus type 2 has been detected in the state.

“The situation is posing a great signal to poliovirus outbreak in the state.

“The resurface of the Poliovirus type 2 necessitated the immediate flag-off of the First Round Outbreak Response for Oral Polio Vaccine.”

He said the state government with the support from the WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), among others, had trained about 800 health personnel to carry out the routine polio immunization.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now