Why Nigeria is only African country with polio burden – UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has revealed why Nigeria is the only African country with polio burden.

According to UNICEF, religious beliefs and ignorance were the major factors responsible for Nigeria’s status as Africa’s only country with high polio cases.

This was disclosed during an engagement with media practitioners in Yola, organised by UNICEF and the Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA).

In a presentation on a ‘paradigm shift in media engagement on oral polio vaccines administration’, Dr. Amos Ujulu of PHCDA noted that ignorance, misconception and beliefs were among the factors affecting the eradication polio in Nigeria.

Explaining further, Ujulu said “Nigeria is the only country where polio is still raging on the continent of Africa”, adding that “only three out of 10 children have been immunized in Adamawa State”.

Speaking further, he gave the background of the National Immunization Coverage Survey, NICS, stating that low coverage was recorded due to ignorance.

“In Adamawa State, the coverage was 59 percent, but we are targeting additional 29 percent before the end of the year,” he said.