Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Francesco Arezzo, President of Rotary International, has reiterated that achieving 90 to 97 percent immunisation coverage among children is essential to fully eliminating polio and preventing vaccine‑derived poliovirus in Nigeria.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on the final leg of his seven‑day visit to the country, Arezzo acknowledged Nigeria’s major progress in the fight against polio. He noted that Nigeria’s last reported indigenous wild poliovirus case occurred in 2016 and that the World Health Organization’s 2020 certification of Nigeria — along with the rest of Africa — as polio‑free marked a significant public health milestone.
However, he stressed that the struggle is not yet over. Arezzo highlighted that while wild poliovirus transmission has been interrupted, strains of vaccine‑derived poliovirus (cVDPV) continue to circulate in under‑immunised communities. These strains can emerge when oral polio vaccine viruses persist and spread in areas with low vaccination coverage, sometimes reverting to neurovirulence.
“A key lesson from global eradication efforts is that high levels of routine immunisation are indispensable,” Arezzo said. He emphasised that coverage rates of at least 90 to 97 percent are necessary to maintain community immunity, interrupt transmission and prevent both wild and vaccine‑derived poliovirus from gaining a foothold.
Arezzo’s remarks reflect ongoing concerns among public health experts that gaps in routine immunisation can undermine progress against all forms of poliovirus. Nigeria, which once reported some of the highest numbers of polio cases globally, has strengthened surveillance, vaccination campaigns and outreach programs in recent years, supported by government agencies, community partners, donor organisations and global health actors.
Nigeria’s federal and state health authorities have continued to deploy polio immunisation campaigns targeting children under five, who are most vulnerable to the disease’s paralytic effects. These efforts include both supplemental immunisation activities and routine immunisation services integrated into primary healthcare delivery.
Rotary International has been a longstanding partner in polio eradication, dating back to the launch of its PolioPlus program in 1985. The organisation played a central role in establishing and sustaining the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), alongside the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more recently the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
In Nigeria, Rotary clubs have supported vaccine distribution, community engagement, advocacy, and resource mobilisation, particularly in hard‑to‑reach areas. Arezzo’s visit included meetings with government officials, frontline health workers and community leaders to underscore the importance of sustaining immunisation gains and closing coverage gaps.
Vaccine‑derived polioviruses emerge in settings where immunisation coverage is inadequate, allowing weakened strains from the oral polio vaccine to circulate and, on rare occasions, regain the ability to cause disease. Although these vaccine‑derived strains are different from wild poliovirus, they can trigger outbreaks in under‑immunised populations, requiring robust vaccination responses.
Arezzo urged continued collaboration between government authorities, health partners and communities to maximise uptake of polio vaccines and strengthen routine immunisation systems. He emphasised that maintaining high coverage is not merely a technical target but a moral imperative to protect children from a preventable disease.
Officials from Nigeria’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) have acknowledged progress in improving routine immunisation, but they also recognise challenges in reaching underserved populations due to geography, insecurity and logistics. Partnerships with civil society organisations, traditional leaders and religious figures have been critical in building trust and acceptance of vaccinations.
Rotary International continues to mobilise volunteers and resources worldwide to support the final push toward global polio eradication. Arezzo’s visit serves as a reminder that while annual cases of wild poliovirus have dwindled to historic lows, vigilance and sustained immunisation coverage remain vital to safeguarding public health achievements.
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