Maiduguri, 17 August, 2016 - Immediate outbreak response (OBR) to recently detected wild polio viruses (WPV) in Borno State commenced on 15 August, 2016 with vaccination of children below five years of age in the two (2)  affected local government areas (LGAs) of Jere, Gwoza and three (3) surrounding LGAs of  Mafa, Maiduguri Municipal Council (MMC) and Bama.

By end of the first day, a total of 201,290 children were vaccinated with 662 receiving their zero or first time oral polio vaccine polio (OPV) dose. A breakdown of the figures revealed that 23,435 children with 232 zero-dose were vaccinated in accessible areas of Gwoza; 10,402 children with 20 zero-dose in Mafa; 47,625 children with 154 zero-dose in Jere while MMC had the highest number of vaccinated children at 119,828, among which 268 are zero-dose.

A total of 999,956 are targeted to be vaccinated during the immediate OBR round of the polio vaccination campaign.

Government steps up oversight role at national and state levels

At the National level, the Honourable Minister of Health Professor Isaac Adewole has been meeting with the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) and partners on a daily basis to coordinate the response. Through these arrangements, the Minister has endorsed a plan that will see the country conduct a series of supplementary polio immunization campaigns that are to be synchronized with countries bordering Borno State.

The Honourable Minister of Health plans to also meet with 36 State Executive Governors on 17 August, 2016 in Abuja to secure their commitment towards this campaign, strengthening routine immunization including timely release of counterpart funding for routine immunization and large-scale outbreak responses.

A call has also been made for convening of the Presidential Task Force on Immunization on the current outbreak and mitigating measures for future recurrences.

Reaching children in security compromised areas

The LGAs of Gwoza and Bama are security compromised and only their headquarters and selected wards are currently accessible to immunization teams with Nigerian Military protection. The state government with support of WHO, other partners and in collaboration with local groups and security agencies in Borno, is implementing the immediate outbreak response round of polio immunization.

Commenting on how the strategy employed in Gwoza LGA, the Deputy Governor, Usman Mamman Durkwa explained that “we held a security meeting with all security personnel and have agreed to support the entire OBR activities ranging from investigation to immunization with military cover”.

He further reiterated that “the Borno State government is determined and committed to the total eradication of polio and will do everything within its power to achieve this goal”.

The Deputy Governor also said “government recognizes the resilience and good work of WHO and other partner agencies and assures them of the state’s support in their support activities on polio and other health issues in the state”.

Agony of a mother and community leader

“I am not happy my daughter has polio. No mother would like to see her child paralyzed or be responsible for spreading such a terrible disease. I pray to Allah that she recovers quickly from the disease and may Allah protect other children from the calamity of the disease”, the mother of the positive case in Jere, Falmata Gambo said.

On his part, the Ward Head of Muna ward, Lawan Shettima, where the internally displaced persons camp and home to the Jere case is located, expressed concern and indicated steps he has so far taken since the report of the case reached him in mobilizing his community for the outbreak response.

“How do I say this? I am the saddest community leader today as this disease is reported from this vicinity and has dragged the national programme and international community backwards in the fight against the paralyzing disease”, Lawan Shettima lamented.

Intensifying community sensitization in Gwoza, Jere and environs

The Executive Secretary of Borno State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, (BSPHCDA), Dr Sule Meleh, informed the National EOC that a robust social mobilization structure is in place and a number of strategies are already being implemented.

According to him, “WHO and other partners are supporting the state in the production and distribution of locally developed fact sheets and Q&A fliers, engagement of religious leaders, traditional leaders and Volunteer Community Mobilizers.

Meanwhile, the Shehu of Bama, the paramount ruler of Borno, who incidentally is the Chairman of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee for Primary Health Care and Polio Eradication, has directed all levels of the traditional and religious hierarchies to ensure every child within their domain is fully vaccinated with OPV to prevent any further spread of the disease.

Enhancing vigilance during outbreak response

WHO in collaboration with the national and state EOCs as well as  other partner agencies, is working closely with government to conduct retroactive community search for AFP cases. Two (2) investigation teams, targeting at least 50,000 households around each case, have already been engaged in Gwoza and Jere LGAs. A minimum of 50 stool samples will also be collected from health contacts of the confirmed cases.

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For more information, please contact:

Technical contacts:

Dr Fiona Braka; Tel: +234 703 170 5252; Email: %20brakaf [at] who.int (brakaf[at]who[dot]int)
Dr Abdelrahim Khalid; Tel: +234 803 402 1284; Email: %20abdelrahimk [at] who.int (abdelrahimk[at]who[dot]int)
Media contact:

Ms  Charity Warigon; Tel: +234 810 221 0093; Email: %20warigonc [at] who.int (warigonc[at]who[dot]int)
Dr Umar Mustapha; Tel: +234 803 616 9972; Email: %20umarm [at] who.int (umarm[at]who[dot]int)
Below:

01. WHO personnel  vaccinating a child in Gwoza

02. WHO Coordinators with Gwoza Brigade Commander during OBR

03. Vaccination in Muna IDP camp of Jere LGA