As Nigeria approaches one year since its last case of polio,
which occurred in Kano State on 24 July, 2014, indications are that the World
Health Organisation would certify it polio-free if the trend remains unbroken
for two years.
In the interim, the continued fight to stamp out polio will
receive an additional $40.3m boost from the Rotary International to support immunization activities and research carried out by the Global Polio Eradication
Initiative.
Rotary grants these funds to the WHO and UNICEF for polio immunization, surveillance and research activities in 10 countries. The funding commitment comes at a critical time as Nigeria –
the last polio-endemic country in Africa – approaches one-year since its last
case of polio.
If the current progress continues, WHO may remove Nigeria
from the list of polio-endemic countries as early as September. In addition to the notable progress in Nigeria, no new cases
of polio have been reported anywhere in Africa since August 2014.
Experts do, however, strongly caution that it is too soon to
fully celebrate. Nigeria needs to go an additional two years without polio to
be certified polio-free. Funding and support for high-quality immunization campaigns
and surveillance activities will be key to sustaining current gains.
“We are closer than we’ve ever been to wiping out polio,” said Mike McGovern, chair of Rotary’s International PolioPlus Committee. He added, “Although there has been noteworthy progress made against the disease, children remain at risk. Rotary – along with our partners – must continue to stay the course and remain steadfast in our plight to eradicate polio. These funds will help boost our efforts to combat polio worldwide.”
Experts lament that progress against polio, while
significant, remains fragile. McGovern said Rotary’s funds would support immunization efforts with: $9.9m in Nigeria; $12.2m in Pakistan and $2.3m in Afghanistan.
He said that additional funds would support efforts to keep
other at-risk countries polio-free. The grants include Cameroon ($1m), Chad ($900,000),
Democratic Republic of Congo ($2m), Ethiopia ($1.1m), Niger ($1m), Somalia
($1.5m), and South Sudan ($1.5m).
“In addition, grants totaling $5.8m will provide surveillance in African and Eastern Mediterranean regions; while grants to Africa alone total $19m,” McGovern said.
In total, Rotary has donated $688.5m to support polio
eradication efforts in Africa over the past 30 years.
“Up until 2018, every new dollar that Rotary commits to polio eradication will be matched two-to-one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation up to $35m a year,” McGovern added.
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