The Executive Director Borno state Primary Health Care Development Agency (BOHDA), Dr. Sule Mele, has said there are an estimated 60, 484 children trapped in 2,672 settlements who are inaccessible for polio vaccination.
Dr. Sule Mele who was represented by the Incident Manager, Borno State Polio Emergency Operations Centre (Borno EOC), Dr. Aminu Shettima, disclosed this at a one day sensitization training workshop of on polio eradication held at the Command Guest House, Maimalari Cantonment, and Maiduguri on Saturday.
He said: “Nigeria remains the only polio endemic country in Africa. President Muhammad Buhari has committed to the eradication of polio .
“Alsoo the Nigerian Army under the leadership of Lt General Tukur Buratai has provided great support to the polio eradication drive.
“The commitment of Operations Kafiya Dole theater command has ensured that we have niow gone over 32 months without any case of wild polio virus”, Dr. Mele.
Continuing, he said: “Despite the success, there is still more work to be done. There are still an estimated 60,484 unreached children in trapped I. 2,572 settlements in the state.
“We need to reach these children and communities before October 2019. We appreciate the magnanimity of the Chief if Art Staff, Lt Gen. Tuur Buratai in directing that these settlements are reached by August 219.
“The entire curry and African at large is looking up to the military to expand the reach to these settlements as part of our application of polo free certification,” Dr. Mele said.
Earlier, while declaring the workshop opened, the Chief of Army Staff,(COAS) General Tukur Buratai, represented by the Theater Commander Operation Lafiya Dole Maj. Gen. Benson Akinrolunyo said ” Eradication of polio in Nigeria is the priority federal government, as President Buhari is committed to the eradication of the disease.”
He however said Borno state is the only state that recorded the only polio case in 2016 , That is why we are partnering with the Army.
