Birnin Kebbi, 30 July 2007 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Peter Eriki has commended Nigeria’s First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua for her commitment to the immunization programme in the country. The Rep. made the remark during a meeting with the First Lady in Birnin Kebbi, shortly before she flagged off the July 2007 Immunization Plus Days (IPDs) in the town.

Dr. Eriki, who noted that the cases of wild polio virus in the country have dropped in 2007 and that the number of Local Government Areas (LGAs) in which the virus is being transmitted has also reduced, added that the cases are now mainly found along borders between LGAs and between states. He said there was need to continue mobilization of communities, so that the gains made in the polio eradication initiative and routine immunization can be sustained.

The WHO Rep. then expressed gratitude to the First Lady for the importance she attaches to the programme and other child survival and women health issues, noting that her commitment will make a lot of difference in these issues.

In her remarks, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua said that the take over of the immunization programme by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) was a step in the right direction, as according to her, “PHC will ensure that immunization is taken to the grassroots”. Hajia Yar’Adua noted with happiness that the country was on the right path to polio eradication and assured that “we will do whatever we can to make Nigeria polio free”.

The First Lady, who said that Nigerian children and women are her concern, added that she would soon meet with women leaders to raise awareness about the rights of their children to immunization and other child survival interventions.

In a related development, the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Peter Eriki has expressed appreciation to His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji (Dr.) Sa’ad Abubakar III on behalf of the WHO fraternity for the support that the Sultanate has given the immunization programme in the country. Dr. Eriki, who was in the company of the UNICEF Country Representative, Mr. Ayalew Abai on a courtesy call to the Sultan in his palace, said WHO would continue to support Sokoto state and the entire country in the implementation of its health policies and programmes. The WHO Rep. appealed to the Sultan to continue to mobilize his followers for the immunization programme and other child survival interventions.

In his response, the Sultan thanked WHO and UNICEF for their support to health interventions in the country and urged them to continue their assistance. The Sultan assured that the Sultanate would continue to support the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, poliomyelitis and other diseases.

Before rounding off his visit to Sokoto and Kebbi states, Dr. Eriki met with WHO staff in the two state offices, whom he commended for the good work they are doing. He advised them to be innovative and to engage their capacities in a diversified way. According to him, “look at the bigger picture of health and development, so we can continue to be in business”.

Dr. Eriki also told the staff to help Government build capacity to revive the health systems, including Primary Health Care. Noting that community dialogues have helped make inroads to the immunization programme, the Rep. advised that national networks of the health system, including the communities, should be used to stop transmission of wild poliovirus.

For more information, please contact:

Austine Oghide
HIP, WHO-Nigeria
Tel: 234 (0) 8034022390
E-mail: oghidea [at] ng.afro.who.int (oghidea[at]ng[dot]afro[dot]who[dot]int)
Website: http://www.who.int/countries/nga/en