TheCable

AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara, says it is a shame that the state recorded 50 percent of polio outbreak in the country.

Polio is an infectious disease among children that can cause temporary or permanent paralysis.

In a statement on Tuesday, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor’s chief press secretary, quoted AbdulRasaq as saying that his administration will give needed support to end the outbreak.

Speaking at the flag off of the polio outbreak response activities in Ilorin, the state capital, the governor appealed to residents to join hands to end the spread of the virus.

“It is a shame that Kwara has 50 percent of the new outbreak. We shouldn’t be dealing with fresh polio in this state now. But we will give the necessary supports to put an end to that,” he said.

AbdulRasaq commended various global agencies for their support in ending the spread of the virus.

He urged parents and other stakeholders to key into the vaccination of children under the age of five.

“I call on Kwarans to join hands with our partners to interrupt the transmission of the Polio virus in Kwara State and Nigeria at large,” he said.

“I am appealing to all mothers, caregivers, heads of households, religious bodies, markets and schools to as a matter of necessity make all children under five years of age available for the vaccination exercise, irrespective of their previous vaccination status as the campaign will be conducted as many times as possible.

“It is highly unacceptable and inexcusable for any Parent, Care Giver or Government to watch our future generation being paralysed from a vaccine-preventable disease like Polio.”

In his remark, Usman Adamu, incident manager of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, commended AbdulRazaq for helping to revive the immunisation programme in Kwara after five years.

In attendance at the event was Theophilus Bamigboye, former military administrator of Osun state; Raphael Adetiba, deputy speaker of the Kwara state assembly; Mamman Saba Jubril, secretary to the Kwara state government; representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO); Rotary International; United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); and several other donor agencies.

Nigeria is classified by the International Health Regulations (IHR) as a state infected with WPV1, cVDPV1 or cVDPV3 with potential risk of international spread.

Meanwhile, WHO had said that Nigeria may be certified polio-free by 2020.