Nigeria: Polio Eradication Suffers Setback

This article discusses the status of the polio eradication programme in Nigeria, following the commencement of a national-level review of the polio communication strategy of the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) in Nigeria. Although the overall number of wild poliovirus (WPV) cases in the country has declined, more states are now affected, indicating that the vaccination interventions have not been sustained at a high enough level.

This review was organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Nigerian Red Cross, and the European Union (EU), in response to a global meeting of PEI stakeholders held in Geneva in February 2007.

UNICEF Nigeria country representative, Mr. Ayalew Abai, stated that the "review was an opportunity for Nigeria and its development partners to appraise the programme and re-strategise, in line with global best practices." It is the hope that the team of reviewers will help to identify the key immediate and critical actions to be addressed and to streamline communication efforts with the goal of accelerating polio eradication.