ABUJA — IN what may seem the final efforts to eradicate polio in the country, President Olusegun Obasanjo joined by other African leaders, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero and Gov. Ibrahim Shekaru of Kano State on Saturday flagged off the final push to polio eradication in the country, and publicly immunised a one-year-old daughter of the Kano State Governor, Miss Zanaib Ibrahim Shekaru.
The event, which commences the 2004 synchronized National Immunization Days (SNIDS) was also supported by the 36 states governor, councils of ulmas, the emirates councils and the international bodies, thus putting an end to the controversy that has earlier surrounded the potency of polio vaccine.
To practically demonstrate the resolve to eradicate wild polo virus (WVP) and the end of the Anti-oral Polio Vaccines (OPV) campaign in the Northern part of the country, Governor Shekaru presented his one year old daughter who was vaccinated with two-doses of OPV by President Obasanjo, at the Sani Abacha stadium venue of the event.
Besides, each state of the Federation was represented by a family who were all vaccinated by a group of vaccinators, which include the President, Gov. Shekaru and other top government officials in the Northern states who assisted them.
In 2003, Nigeria had 355 cases of polio, the highest number in the world-45 percent of all cases globally. The increase in cases followed the suspension of polio campaign in a number of state especially in Kano, due to rumour as to the safety of Oral Polio Vaccines. Consequently Kano state had more polio cases in 2003 than any other states in the world, which led to the re-infection of city of Lagos and 12 previously polio-free countries: Benin, Bostwana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivore, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, the Sudan and Togo.
International concern over the spread of poliovirus from northern Nigeria prompted a decision by African Union ministries in May to conduct a series of synchronized polio campaigns in 23 countries across the region, in October and November.
According to President Obasanjo, the event was a demonstration of the collaboration in efforts among Africans and in the full spirit by the African Unions (AU).
He commended the Chairman of African Union Commission, Alpha Aonare, and other African Leaders who joined hand to organize the SNIDS in order to eradicate polio in the region and the world. With the efforts and full mobilization, the President said OPV would reach all children, just as he called on all Nigerians to support the efforts.
He, however, appealed to the governors, local council chairman, religious leaders, and traditional rulers to rise up to the challenges and come out to make it a success.
In his speech, the Emir of Kano. Alhaji Ado Bayaero who spoke on behalf of the Emirates and especially the sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar maccido, described the flag-off of the SNIDS as a unique gathering which was to demostrate their effort towards polio eradication.
“On behalf of traditional institutions in Nigeria, I wish to support the final polio eradication in Nigeria to ensure that Nigeria join the polio free nations of the world,” he noted.
Alhaji Bayero called on all Nigerians particularly his people in the north to bring out all their children between the ages of 0-59 months to be immunized with two-drop of OPV between 9 and 12 October 2004, and during subsequent immunization days.
He said, “ all children in our country from 0-59 months old must be brought out to be vaccinated, I implore you on behalf of all traditional rulers, we will continue to play our role in Nigeria on polio eradication efforts.
“We must all ensure the conduct of quality immunization days until our children achieve their hope to live happily.”
