The Federal Government has plans to immunise 41 million children against polio as part of efforts to ensure complete eradication of the virus before the end of 2017.
According to The Guardian, Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Nigerian Minister of Health, told newsmen on Monday in Maiduguri that the goal was to ensure that the eradication of polio in Africa and that neighbouring countries like Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Republic, would have similar immunisations as part of a joint effort to ensure the eradication of the virus from Africa.
He added that “our target is for Africa to be free of polio by 2017.”
He further broke down the rounds of immunisations and how they would be conducted across the Federation.
He was quoted to have said, “By December, we will have immunised nothing less than 41 million children under five years of age in Nigeria.”
He also commended the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners for their support in the anti-polio campaign.
He said, “we want to thank the WHO, UNICEF and all these organisations for their support and partnership in the fight against polio.”