| Polio vaccination underway in 20 African countries |
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Information Nigeria
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449 days ago
Article ID# 1522047
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United Nations Children’s Fund
ABUJA, NIGERIA (Information Nigeria) - With the exception of Nigeria, due to logistic reasons, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Rotary International, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, among others are trying to immunise more than 111 million African children against polio in only four days, hoping to stamp out an incurable disease that is all but gone in the West.
This latest onslaught against polio started at the weekend across 19 countries, with the delayed Nigerian campaign expected to run from Saturday, March 31 to Tuesday April 3, 2012.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), in collaboration with the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN), the Johns Hopkins International Vaccine Access Centre and other partners of immunisation will today host a Vaccine Summit in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Summit aims to catalyse major changes in the appreciation of the value of vaccines and transform the perception of Nigerians in that regard, inspiring a new commitment to funding and supporting an improved access to immunisation programmes and coverage in Nigeria in both private and public service.
Also, the Expert Review Committee on polio eradication in Nigeria (ERC) is expected to sit this week ahead of the Immunisation Plus Days (IPDs) starting on Saturday March 31.
The Committee is chaired by a renowned virologist and former Vice Chancellor, Redeemer’s University, Prof. Oyewale Tomori.
UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Director, David Gressly, stated in a statement over the weekend: “Either we succeed in eradicating polio today or this initiative will falter tomorrow and polio will explode. Making Africa polio free is within our reach.
“Nineteen African countries will be covered by door-to-door volunteers starting Friday. Volunteers will kick off their four-day oral vaccination campaign in Nigeria a week later for logistical reasons. The campaign is part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), which unites governments, the WHO, UNICEF, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and nonprofits to wipe out polio.”
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Updated 449 days ago Article ID# 1522047
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