WORLD POLIO DAY: Traditional Ruler Urge Nigerians to Sustain Routine Immunization.
By Murtala Muhammad
Nigerians have been urged to sustain the gains achieved in the country of being certified polio free by the World Health organization (WHO), through ensuring continuous routine immunization for under five children.
The Emir of Dass Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman made the call at an event to commemorate this year’s World Polio Day, with the theme “Keep Polio @ Zero” held in Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman said although the country has been certified polio free, there was the need to sustain the gains to avert its resurgence.
He advised parents not to relent in their support and cooperation to the front line health workers who are doing all their best in ensuring that children in all nooks and crannies of the country, were fully immunized.
The Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed emphasized the need for all stakeholders to maintain routine immunization and surveillance systems for the sustenance of polio free status achieved so far.
Representatives of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), World Health Organization (WHO) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Integrated Health Programme (IHP), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and other partners commended the country’s traditional and religious leaders as well as Voluntary Community Mobilizers (VCM) for their efforts in achieving the feat.
The World Polio Day is being celebrated on the twenty fourth of October every year to create awareness on the fight against wild polio virus.
