The Chairman of Rotary International’s PolioPlus Committee, Michael McGovern, has stated that the organisation allocates $150 million annually towards polio eradication efforts in Nigeria.
On Tuesday, Mr McGovern disclosed this during a symbolic immunisation exercise at the Masaka Primary Healthcare Centre in Masaka, Nasarawa State, where he led a delegation of Rotary officials.
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He noted that Rotary had spent nearly $3 billion on polio eradication activities globally over the years.
“It’s a lot of money, but we are happy to do it. We see the benefit; we see all the children who have not become disabled as a result of that,” he said.
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“20 million children have not become disabled, and the biggest impression that everyone has to have here is to see the beautiful children and the importance of their health in receiving the necessary immunisations,” he said.
Mr McGovern emphasised that immunisation is a life-saver, making a significant difference in children’s lives.
He urged citizens to support routine immunisations for diseases like measles and polio, noting that these vaccines helped to build children’s immune systems and reduced the likelihood of contracting diseases.
“The government must have a strong programme of routine immunisation and continue providing polio drops to children throughout Nigeria,” he added.
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The Director of the Polio Plus Programme, Carol Pandak, commended local governments and frontline workers for their efforts in immunising children against polio and other diseases.
Ms Pandak also lauded mothers for bringing their children to receive vaccinations.
“I encourage every Nigerian community to prioritise immunising children against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases,” she said.
“That’s the most important thing you can do to protect them from polio and all sorts of other diseases.”
Two mothers, Mrs Alheri Dogo and Mrs Ibrahim Gambo, shared their experiences, highlighting their commitment to ensuring their children received the necessary immunisations.
Both mothers commended Rotary’s efforts in protecting Nigerian children from polio and called for greater awareness about the importance of immunisation.
Poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio, is a highly infectious viral disease mainly affecting children under five.
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The disease spreads primarily through the faecal-oral route and can lead to paralysis by invading the nervous system.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, launched by the World Health Assembly in 1988, is a collaborative effort to eliminate polio worldwide.
It is led by national governments, the World Health Organisation, Rotary International, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi.
(NAN)
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