World Polio Day: 27 Children paralysed by polio in 2016

Every October 24 is marked as ‘World Polio Day’ by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its allied agencies in the fight against the disease.

Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria, still remains the only African country that still has record of the polio virus reported within its territory. The other two countries with the virus are Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The WHO has affirmed that despite a 99.9% reduction of polio spread between 1988 and 2016, they were committed to ensuring that polio is totally wiped off the planet. According to the UN, 27 children have been paralysed for life by polio in 2016.

Polio is preventable by administering the polio vaccine over a period of time. The disease is spread from person to person through ingesting fecal matter or food and water containing the fecal matter.

In up to 70% of polio infections, there are no symptoms but gradual development of muscle weakness leading to paralysis.

Nigeria after the latest reported cases initiated an immunization drive for one million children. Before Nigeria’s case, the last African case of wild polio diagnosis was in the Puntland region of Somalia, on 11 August 2014.

Together we can prevent Polio!!!