The Federal Government has broken its silence on the fresh outbreak of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) in Gwoza and Jere local government areas of Borno State, blaming the infections on activities of the Boko Haram insurgents.
Two children were affected in the latest outbreak of the virus, which has caused a setback for Nigeria’s progress towards attaining a polio-free status.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently de-listed Nigeria from the list of polio endemic nations and was waiting till next year to be certified polio-free but this development has thrown spanner in the works of the country’s chances of being certified polio free by 2017.
The last time a polio infection was recorded in Nigeria was in June of 2014.
The health minister, however, assured the country that government was on top of the situation, adding that an emergency plan would be marshaled out in 48 hours.
As an immediate response, Adewole said a team will be deployed to Borno to begin immunization, even as he assured that there was enough funding to tackle the virus.
About one million children will be immunized in four local government areas in Borno under the immediate response plan.