The Deputy Incident Manager, National Polio Emergency Operations, Dr Idowu Audu
has stated that Nigeria consumes 70 percent of the world’s polio vaccines.

Audu disclosed this in Ilorin during the 3rd Quarter Review/Engagement Meeting of the Kwara State Traditional Leader’s Council Committee on Health.

He lamented that the country is consuming most of the polio vaccines, and yet the virus has not stopped infecting children.

The expert said resurgence of the diseases is spreading most especially in some Northern states of the federation.

According to him, Zamfara alone has about 35 percent prevalence, and non-compliance is a factor that is derailing the total eradication of polio in Nigeria.

“Non-compliance cases are buried and hidden. These are some of the problems that disrupt vaccine programmes in the country,” he said.

Audu appealed to the traditional leaders to help the government in the improvement of routine vaccinations on polio, measles and whooping cough in the country.

In her address, Dr Nusirat Elelu, the Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency said the meeting was to bring together traditional institutions and other stakeholders for robust engagement on community ownership of vaccine programmes.

Elelu who was represented by Dr Michael Oguntoye, the Director Primary Healthcare System of the Agency noted that trained healthcare workers are utilised for vaccines programmes in the state.

She appealed to people in the state to allow their children to receive the life-saving protection.

The Executive Secretary observed that there are still pockets of recalcitrant individuals who pose a challenge to the effective vaccine exercise.

She, however, reiterated the resolve of the state government to partner with traditional and religious leaders to ensure polio is wiped out of Kwara and the nation.

In his Lecture, Mr Ademola Enikanselu, the Programme Officer, of Chigari Foundation, Kwara, appealed to the traditional leaders and partners to monitor vaccine coverage and uptake in their various communities.

“There is need to trail the progress towards immunization and identifying areas for improvement,” he said.

Enikanselu advised them to report challenges and barriers on vaccines shortages in the community.

NAN