Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt
The Chairman of the International Polioplus Committee, Mr. Michael McGovern, has said that the current fight against polio in Nigeria will be slower in areas affected by conflicts.
McGovern, who made this remark on Tuesday during his visit to the Rumuokoro Model Health Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, explained that there were issues of lack of accessibility to certain children in the past.
Pointing out that Nigeria was among three countries that were yet to fully eradicate polio, he expressed the optimism that with the increased support from traditional rulers and stakeholders, the disease would soon be a thing of the past in the country.
McGovern, whose visit was to join in the commemoration of one year of Nigeria’s polio-free status, said the committee would get everyone involved to ensure that all the children in the country received the polio drops and they are declared free of the disease.
He said, “Nigeria is one of the only three countries left to get rid of polio cases. In some places, it’s going to be slower than others because of conflicts. Some years ago, there were issues of lack of accessibility to certain children. But those issues no longer exist.
“All the leaders of the country, including traditional leaders and the government, support our efforts to eradicate polio. We appreciate all their efforts and support, too.”
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