Great News As WHO Finally Declares Nigeria Polio Free
- Adetoun Ogunlami
- June 19, 2020
- Health, News, Trending
- Nigeria free of Polio, Polio declared free in Nigeria, world health organization declare polio free in Nigeria
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World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Nigeria free of polio.
The information was announced on the organisation’s official Twitter account.
According to WHO, polio was no longer endemic in Nigeria, however, the disease is still in two countries.
See tweet below:
Today, Nigeria’s complete documentation for #WildPoliovirus 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! pic.twitter.com/h2mEngkKXv
— WHO Nigeria (@WHONigeria) June 18, 2020
This is good news because it brings the world a step closer to eradicating polio for good.
According to the World Health Organization, Polio (Poliomyelitis) is a highly infectious disease that affects children under 5 years of age.
The virus can easily be transmitted through contaminated water or food, which then multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis.
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According to the announcement made today, WHO stated that Nigeria has made great progress against polio.
Continued vigilance would be needed to protect these gains and ensure that polio does not return.
The last time Nigeria reported a case of wild poliovirus was 24 July 2014, and all laboratory data has confirmed that a full 12 months have passed without any new cases.
Furthermore, Immunization and surveillance activities must continue to rapidly detect a potential re-introduction or re-emergence of the virus.
