Yobe confirms 4 new polio cases years after certification

The Yobe State government has confirmed four new cases of polio in three local government areas, three years after the state was declared free of the disease.

The Executive Secretary of the State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Babagana Kundi-Machina, disclosed this at the launching of a campaign against the disease on Saturday in Machina LGA.

Machina LGA is located near the country’s border with the Niger Republic.

He said: “It is unfortunate that after three years of being certified polio-free, we have recorded a circulating poliovirus outbreak in Bursari, Machina, and Yusufari LGAs.”

READ ALSO: UNICEF, WHO call for emergency action on measles and polio outbreak

He said the state government in collaboration with its partners had launched a state-wide outbreak response and vaccination exercise to address the situation.

The State Coordinator of the World Health Organusation (WHO), Dr. Hamisu Alhassan, pledged the organisation’s support to the effort to contain the outbreak.

He urged the people of the state to adopt preventive measures, including personal and environmental hygiene, handwashing, and immunisation to boost immunity and promote good health, especially among women and children.

The Emir of Machina, Alhaji Bashir Machinama, advised his people to cooperate with the government by accepting the vaccine.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now