Nigeria has joined the polio-endemic countries again after two years without recording a case of the infectious viral disease
The country was put back on the polio-endemic countries list after Jere, Gwoza and Monguno communities in the Borno State recorded four new cases of wild polio virus this year.
The Chairperson of the Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Prof Rose Keke, who disclosed this at the opening of a four-day workshop in Accra to review the progress of African countries in polio eradication, called on African countries to update their polio preparedness and response plans.
She said the WHO considers the incidence a regional outbreak of Lake Chad Basin countries (Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria).
“This development raised a concern for ARCC members on how to ensure and assess the quality of activities in security compromised and inaccessible areas. This should be a lesson learnt for all countries,” she said.
Five African countries, namely Central African Republic, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana and Guinea Bissau will be presenting their eradication activities, while Algeria and Cape Verde will present their complete documentation to the Commission.
Prof Keke said a total of 36 countries have successfully presented their complete documentation accepted by ARCC, but cautioned that the Commission may call any country following acceptance of the documentation to present again to ensure the country is still polio free.
She said high quality activities, high level advocacy and adequate resources were needed to overcome this situation for the African region to become polio-free.
Ghana’s Polio Eradication
Dr Owen Kaluwa, WHO Ghana Representative, in his remarks acknowledged Ghana’s polio eradication efforts, describing it as satisfactory and ongoing.
“National Polio Committee’s activities are ongoing with support of the country office. National Task Force on containment with support of WHO implemented Phase 1a of GAP III in 2015 and Phase 1b (destruction of sabin type 2 materials) in 2016 with the reports submitted to AFRO,” he said.
Dr Kaluwa mentioned that although the routine oral polio vaccination coverage is good, there are some challenges in some districts, for instance, the Greater Accra Region has often been the most challenged region for achieving the AFP surveillance indicators.
“Poor performing districts are supported with additional funds from the country office to improve on the surveillance indicators.
Ghana will continue the work and keep the political commitment to sustain the polio-free status of the country,” he added.
BY Jamila Akweley Okertchiri