BREAKING: Polio Resurfaces In Adamawa, One Case Detected
The reemergence and detection of Circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus type 2 in Adamawa has been confirmed by the state government.
Prof. Abdullahi Isa, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, stated this during the official flag off of the first Round Outbreak Response immunisation on Saturday in Yola.
Vaccine Derived Poliovirus type 2 ( VDPV) was identified by Isa as a strain of attenuated Poliovirus that was originally included in Oral Polio Vaccine but has evolved over time to behave more like the wild or spontaneously occurring virus.
He expressed concern that the virus’s recent reappearance in the state posed a significant problem and posed a risk of a transmissible virus outbreak.
“One case of Circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus type 2 has been detected in the state. The situation is posing a great danger of polio virus outbreak in the state.
“The resurface of the Poliovirus type 2 necessitated the immediate flag off of the first Round Outbreak Response for Oral Polio Vaccine,” Isa said.
He said the state government, with the support from the developmental partners, WHO and UNICEF, among others, had trained about 800 health personnel to carry out the routine immunisation for polio vaccination.
He said about one million children below age five were targeted in the outbreak response vaccination across the state.
The WHO state coordinator, Iyobosa Igbinovia, recalled that Nigeria was, in August 2020, declared free and safe country from polio virus.
Igbinovia, however, said that the resurface of the Polio virus was a threat to healthcare services not only in Adamawa but for the North-East in general.
“WHO is working hand in hand with the state government to ensure total eradication of the virus and to ensure every eligible child is vaccinated against Polio,” Igbinovia said.
On his part, the District Head of Jimeta, Yola North Local Government Area, Muhammadu Isa, where the case was detected, assured of full support to health workers.
“I will direct all ward heads to ensure that people comply and present their children to receive Oral Polio Vaccine,” Isa said.
(NAN)
