Maintain high polio vaccine immunisation- Physician urges Nigerians

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko

As the world marks World Polio Day, Dr Omolade Falade, Community Medicine Physician at Bethel Specialist Hospital, Ibadan, says there is need for Nigeria to maintain a high immunisation coverage of the polio vaccine.

According to Falade, this will ensure that the country does not  lose its polio-free status.

Falade made the assertion on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ibadan.

NAN reports that World Polio Day is commemorated annually on  Oct. 24.

The community medicine physician said that the issue of insecurity must also be dealt with, as it was a major challenge ensuring that all children, everywhere were vaccinated.

She added that post-elimination surveillance remained crucial to avoid the re-emergence of the wild-polio virus and ensure the early detection and management of any polio-case before transmission occurred within any community.

“The government must take full ownership of ensuring Nigeria remains polio-free by leveraging on the capacity-built by those involved in the polio elimination activities in the country.

“Dedication of funds toward the local research and development of polio vaccines is essential.

“Government at all levels should ensure water, sanitation and hygiene facilities are made available and accessible to citizens,” she said.

She encouraged parents to continue to cooperate with government , relevant stakeholders by ensuring their children completed their routine immunization schedule.

Falade urged them to also allow their under-five children receive the polio vaccine during immunisation activities, which take place within the community.

“There have been instances when polio vaccinators are turned away from homes, schools, businesses, and worship centres, preventing them from vaccinating eligible children.

“Every citizen must align with the global polio eradication goal by cooperating with vaccinators when they visit their communities.

“Community members must also speak up and report to health facilities if they discover any child with sudden onset paralysis in their community.

“This is important as one child with polio can potentially infect up to 200 children with the polio virus,” she said.

According to her, polio day is set aside to raise awareness about polio, the progress made toward polio eradication, the importance of polio vaccination in under-five children and the mobilisation of resources and support towards polio eradication.

She emphasised that eradication of polio could only occur when there was zero transmission of polio in all regions of the world, when every country is polio-free.

“The major way of achieving this is by vaccinating every child with the polio vaccine. No child must be left behind.

“Polio is a highly infectious viral disease.

“The virus can be shed through the faeces of infected children and can then be spread to others, especially in communities with poor water supply, poor sanitation systems and poor hygiene practices, such as Nigeria.

“The polio virus could also be transmitted through contaminated food and water.

“The polio virus has the potential of invading the nervous system which could cause permanent paralysis, usually of the legs.

“In a small percentage of patients, the muscles responsible for breathing could be affected which could result in death.

“Polio is a vaccine preventable disease. Polio vaccination prevents children from getting infected by the polio virus thereby enabling children to live their lives free from polio disease, its associated disability and death,” she said .

“Globally, there has been a 99 per cent reduction in polio cases and there are only two countries in the world where polio transmission still takes place: Afghanistan and Pakistan. This proves that polio eradication is possible.

“For decades, Nigeria, aggressively conducted routine and supplemental immunisation activities to ensure every child in Nigeria is vaccinated against the Polio virus.

“Finally, Nigeria became free of the wild polio virus on June 18, 2020 and was officially certified as free of the wild polio virus on Aug. 25th 2020.

“This was achieved through the collaboration between the government, international agencies, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, religious and community leaders and other community members,” Falade said. (NAN)