The Rotary Club of Abuja, Central Business District (CBD) has restated its commitment to end Poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio, caused by the polio virus among children in the country.
The President of the Club, Rotarian Lauratu Yenwan, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of it special fellowship on Polio in Abuja.
NAN reports that the world annually observes World Polio Day on Oct. 24, the birth date of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
The day is set aside to raise awareness about polio vaccination, a vital measure to protect children under five from the infectious disease.
However, the Rotary Club of Abuja CBD, decided to start its campaign before Oct. 24, to show the level of it continuous effort and commitment to end Polio in Nigeria
According to Yenwan, Poliomyelitis is a disease that cause disability in children, especially those not vaccinated against the sickness.
“Our plans as Rotarian to end Polio in Federal Capital Territory and Nigeria is to engage in effective sensitisation on the importance of getting vaccination so that we can keep the Polio at a zero level.
“That is what we have started at the Special Fellowship and that is what we will keep doing; sensitising parents and using polio survivors as advocates to push the message further.
“We will use their voices to encourage others not to be discourage in moving forward with their lives in a positive style and manner,”Yenwan said.
Also speaking, Dr Khadijat Yusuf, the District Polio Chair from the Rotary Club of Abuja, D 9127 Nigeria, the Grand Father’s Club, stressed that Poliomyelitis was a devastating disease that could led to paralysis and disability.
Yusuf, who was the Guest Speaker at the Special Fellowship, explained that Polio was a preventable disease that with only two doses of the vaccine, 80 per cent of the children could be cover and protected.
Yusuf added that the remaining 20 per cent could be in the hard to reach areas, stressing that they could be traced and immunise against Polio.
“Nigeria has been certified Polio free, but it is not over till is over; until Afghanistan and Pakistan are Polio free, every child is still at risk.
“That is why we are intensifying the effort of immunisation and trying to create more awareness and advocate to parents, because some will tell you that there is no Polio again in Nigeria.
“It may be so, but until Afghanistan and Pakistan are polio free, there is still Polio. So, we appeal to parents with children from zero to five years to ensure and allow immunisation for their children.
“Any opportunity that comes, they should cooperate with the authorities and ensure their children are vaccinated.
“The government is doing very well. However, they should ensure that the vaccines are available at the right time, and the cool chain/storage specifically of the vaccine should not be broken.
“That is to say, electricity should be provided, cool packs and everything that will make the cool chain system intact should be provided by the government, ” Yusuf said.
NAN reports that Ms Sussan Ihuoma, a Polio Survivor and gender advocate, narrated her ordeal in dealing with the challenges of rejection, stigmatisation and lack of inclusive in most life matters. (NAN)