Nigeria has spent $500 million on polio eradication efforts, but challenges remain in fully eliminating circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV).
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a high-level meeting with the Polio Oversight Board, development partners, and government officials.
He expressed concern over the financial burden of polio eradication, stating that despite strong political commitment, Nigeria continues to face operational challenges hindering the complete eradication of poliovirus.
“Key among these challenges is false vaccination records, with one in four children marked as vaccinated despite not receiving the vaccine,” he said.
Pate also identified weak supervision as a challenge, leading to inconsistencies in immunization coverage.
He added that poor micro-planning had left vulnerable children unvaccinated, particularly in high-risk communities.
Government’s response: Activation of polio task force
To address these issues, he said the government has activated a Polio Task Force under the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
- He noted that state governors have been mandated to take full ownership of polio eradication efforts at the local government level.
- The minister emphasized the need for strict accountability at all levels to prevent Nigeria from reversing its gains in polio eradication.
He stated that Nigeria is working to integrate polio eradication into routine primary healthcare services.
“This aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes expanding primary healthcare infrastructure, improving service delivery, retraining 120,000 frontline health workers, 60,000 of whom have already been trained, and promoting local vaccine production,” he added.
Tackling misinformation and vaccine hesitancy
Pate said the agenda also prioritizes strengthening surveillance and outbreak response mechanisms to swiftly detect and address poliovirus cases.
- The minister identified misinformation and vaccine hesitancy as major threats to polio eradication.
- He urged social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp to take decisive action against false vaccine narratives, which he said have contributed to lower vaccine acceptance in some communities.
“We are engaging traditional and religious leaders to counter misinformation, but digital platforms must do more to curb false narratives about vaccines,” he added.
More Insight
Nigeria was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2020, but challenges persist with circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV).
- Volunteer Community Mobilisers (VCMs) have played a crucial role in raising awareness and countering misinformation about polio vaccination.
- In northern Nigeria, VCMs engage directly with families, addressing concerns and emphasizing the importance of immunization. Their efforts have significantly boosted vaccine acceptance.
- The Federal Government, in collaboration with global partners, aims to interrupt all poliovirus transmission, including cVDPV, by the end of 2026.
Achieving this goal will require enhanced routine immunization, swift outbreak responses, and robust surveillance systems to detect and address new cases promptly.
