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Oil magnate and Rotary International Polio Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Emeka Offor, has congratulated the Federal Government and Nigerians in general for what he termed a sustained the tempo in ensuring the country remains free from Wild Polio Virus (WPV) for two consecutive years since this status was attained.
In a statement he signed and released on Monday to, Offor applauded Rotary Clubs, Rotaract Clubs, local partners, traditional institutions, and international organizations that have joined hands to champion the eradication of Polio in Nigeria.
He said: “In my role as the Rotary International Polio Ambassador to Nigeria and working in partnership with Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, The Rotary Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Nigerian National Polio Plus Committee of Rotary International chaired by PDG Joshua Hassan, we have also been able to provide leadership, financial interventions and significant resources to facilitate critical phases of the Polio Eradication program in Nigeria and globally.
“On this auspicious event, I pay special tribute to all frontline health workers, especially our fallen heroes, whose indefatigable commitments ensured that the Polio Vaccines got to “every last Nigerian child”, especially those in remote areas of the Country. I equally commend the outstanding political will of President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the implementation strategies of the Federal Ministry of Health, which have in no little measure supported the ongoing fight against Polio in Nigeria”.
He urged Nigerians not to rest on their oars as the task of keeping Nigeria polio free remains a collective one.
Offor added that with the re-emergence of vaccine-derived polio cases in Nigeria, as well as in regions of Malawi, Mozambique, Israel and USA, there was a great need to remain vigilant.
“We cannot afford to let our efforts of many decades be in vain.
“Accordingly, I encourage us to double our momentum towards continuous immunisation, rapid outbreak response, enhanced surveillance, fundraising, awareness, and advocacy. | renew my pledge to support the total eradication of Polio in the World. With the rollout of the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine in Nigeria, I am confident that vaccine-derived polio cases would significantly reduce and bring us closer to ending polio in its entirety,” he added.
