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26 February

Eight countries respond to polio in tandem

In response to a polio outbreak originating in Nigeria, an eight-country synchronized vaccination campaign in West Africa kicks off on 27 February 2009. Nigeria and seven of its neighbours will immunize more than 53 million children over four days and again in late March. More than 162 000 vaccinators will implement the campaign in these countries.

With 50 cases of type 1 polio reported in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Togo, this mass immunization campaign aims to tackle the virus in two rounds, the first from 27 February-2 March and the second from 27-30 March. Type 1 poliovirus is the more dangerous of the two wild poliovirus strains, due to its higher paralytic attack rate and propensity for greater geographical spread.

25 February

A Brilliant Message: End Polio Now

PHOTO: Mark Wallace/Rotary Down Under

From Sydney's Opera House to Rome's Coliseum, from Cape Town's Table Mountain to New York's High Falls, Rotary's commitment to "End Polio Now" is lighting up the night sky. Every night this week - Rotary's 104th anniversary - floodlit messages across some of the world's most iconic landmarks will call on the millions that see them to join the remarkable 20-year campaign to rid the world of polio. "By illuminating these historic landmarks with our pledge to end polio, Rotary clubs are announcing to the world that we will not stop until the goal is achieved," says Jonathan Majiyagbe, the Rotary Foundation's trustee chair. "We hope people everywhere will see these words, either in person or through the media, and join with us and our partners in this historic effort to rid the world of polio once and for all." This year, Rotary has committed to raising $200 million to be spent in support of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a partnership spearheaded by WHO, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and UNICEF. For full landmark slideshow, click here.

13 February

Polio film nominated for Oscar

A film depicting the challenges in the final stages of polio eradication has been nominated for an Academy Award in the best documentary short subject category. "The Final Inch" chronicles the challenges health organizations and governments face during the final stages of polio eradication. The film follows health workers as they immunize Indian and Pakistani children and takes its title from a quote by Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn about the need to persevere when a goal is ambitious, difficult and very near. More

04 February

Polio eradication in Nigeria:  state governors' crucial commitment secured, as Gates visits country to support effort

Abuja, Nigeria, 4 February 2009 – Over the past few weeks in Nigeria, government and traditional leaders from key polio-infected areas of the country joined forces to give the country's polio eradication effort an urgently-needed boost of public confidence. 

Meeting in Abuja on 2 February, the governors of the 36 states of Nigeria convened a special urgent session on health under the leadership of HE President Umaru Yar'Adua.  The governors recognized that to urgently fill ongoing vaccination coverage gaps during polio immunization campaigns requires active leadership, engagement and accountability by the political leadership from the states and districts (Local Government Areas – LGAs).  To this effect, the governors signed the 'Abuja Commitments to Polio Eradication in Nigeria', publicly committing themselves to provide the necessary active leadership which will mobilize the state and LGA civil administrations to reach at least 90% of all children with polio vaccine.     

Already prior to the signing of the 'Abuja Commitments', concrete and pragmatic steps had been taken by a number of state leaders, notably the Governor of Kano, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.  LGA-level Task Forces for Polio Eradication have been established in all 44 LGAs in the state, and a governor's directive has been issued to every LGA Chairperson placing full responsibility for polio eradication on their offices. These new measures were announced by Governor Shekarau during the national launch of the most recent polio Immunization Plus Days (IPDs) on 31 January 2009, when he also personally immunized his own daugher. Kano state is the area with the highest number of polio cases in the country.

These commitments represent a veritable sea-change in the engagement of the political leadership at the subnational level, which has been inconsistent in some areas and which is crucial in ensuring the quality of polio operations is improved at the field-level.  It signals a clear new engagement to protect every Nigerian child from life-long polio paralysis, and follows the re-invigorated high-level political commitment at the national level seen in 2008, from the President's office downward. 

This new and strengthened engagement coincides this week with a visit to Nigeria by Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who expressed confidence that Nigeria can stop polio as long as these new commitments made by state governments are fully realized across all areas in the country.  Commending the state governors for signing the 'Abuja Commitments', Mr Gates emphasized the critical role that leaders at all levels play in reducing the number of missed and under-immunized children, and thanked the Ministry of Health and NPHCDA for the attention they have placed on polio eradication. 

“The success of the Nigeria programme hinges on the active participation of everyone to make sure that all children are reached by National Immunization Days (NIDs), Immunization Plus Days (IPDs) and the routine immunization programme,” said Mr. Gates.  “If the country capitalizes on the commitments I’ve heard in the past two days, Nigeria can lead the way to a polio-free Africa.” 

During his visit, Mr Gates had the opportunity to meet with officials at all levels of government, including the Honourable Alhajji Yayale Ahmed, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Honourable Minister of Health Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, and the state governors at the signing of the 'Abuja Commitments'.  Mr Gates also travelled to Sokoto state, visiting with Sokoto Governor Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko; His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III; as well as Emirs from several northern states most affected by polio.  Mr Gates participated in the IPDs held this week, meeting with healthcare workers and parents, and witnessing the immunization activities first-hand. 

Photos are courtesy of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

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