“Updated Abuja Commitment” Eradication Of Polio

Nigeria finally exited the list of polio endemic countries in 2015 and is currently working at attainment of total eradication by 2019.

The federal and state governments on Wednesday signed an “updated Abuja commitment” on polio eradication in Nigeria.

The Abuja commitment, which was first signed in 2009 and revalidated in 2011, is an accountability tool conceived to ensure governors keep their side of the bargain towards total eradication of polio in Nigeria.

Signing the new Abuja Commitment, state governors and local government chairmen expressed their commitments to rapid response to polio outbreak, advance quarterly release for polio campaigns and quarterly meetings with stakeholders.

The executive secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Ado Mohammed, however decried lack of commitment to polio throughout 2015.

According to him, while five states fully achieved the four key indicators, six states could not implement a single-state level “Abuja Commitment”.

He said the four of the five states that kept to the commitment were high-risk states that include Bauchi, Jigawa, Kano and Kaduna, as well as Ondo State, which is a non high-risk state.