Plateau immunizes 700,000 children against polio

The Plateau State government on Wednesday said it immunised 700,000 children under the age of five against polio virus.

The permanent secretary of the state Ministry of Health, Abel Gwatau, stated this in his office on Wednesday while addressing journalists on the just-concluded routine immunisation against poliomyelitis.

Mr. Gwatau, a pharmacist, said the “Immunisation Plus Days” campaign was launched against poliomyelitis, saying due to the sustained immunisation, Nigeria never recorded a case of polio in the last 17 months.

According to him, vaccination against poliomyelitis in the state was a nationwide campaign directed by the Federal Ministry of Health.

He said the campaign was also targeted at eradicating polio in Africa.

He revealed further that for the past 17 months there has been no reported case of poliomyelitis anywhere in the country.

“For the past 17 months, no case of poliomyelitis was recorded in Nigeria. Our ministry flagged off immunisation for children under the age of five last Friday against polio.

“It actually kick-started on Saturday and lasted for four days; another round of routine immunisation will commence again on March 17.

“This is all geared toward ensuring that polio is completely kicked out of Nigeria, and Africa as a whole.

“We have enough vaccines; the Plateau State government is doing this in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health,” Mr. Gwatau said.