Nigeria is making progress towards the target of stopping polio, according to WHO and UNICEF country teams. To date in 2013, Nigeria has reported a 50% decline in the number of cases, with 25 cases in 9 states, compared to 54 cases in 10 states for the same period in 2012, a statement by Geoffrey Njoku communication specialist ,media & external relations UNICEF Nigeria Country Office said.
The statement continued,“It is important to highlight that more than 60% of the cases this year are from the security compromised areas of Borno and Yobe with limited access to children for vaccination. As outlined by the most recent report of the global Independent Monitoring Board for polio eradication, Nigeria’s polio programme has surged forward and is making progress.
This is coupled with a substantive investment and efforts to improve routine immunization, with the development of a new routine immunization framework and the Save One Million Lives Initiative lead by the Government of Nigeria. The number of un-immunized children through routine immunization has declined in the past several months as a result of increased focus to improve routine services. WHO and UNICEF are committed to continue supporting the Government of Nigeria in their efforts to improve the well-being of women and children,the statement said.
