Nigeria News

17 January 2007 - On November 12, 2006, District Head of Nahuche (Kekun Nahuche), witnessed the ward training of vaccination teams and participated in a mobilization training for ward heads and traditional birth attendants for the November Immunization Plus Days (IPDs). He was fully involved in the re-orientation of members of the Save Mothers and Children (SMAC), an NGO he presides over. At the end of the meetings, he personally served food to his visitors.

17 January 2007 - Two hours after the engine of his canoe failed on River Niger on October 3, 2006, Daniel Chibogwu Umeh, Anambra State epidemiologist was tired but not ready to give up on his determination to contribute his quota to halting the transmission of the wild polio virus (WPV) in Nigeria. He walked into his makeshift accommodation in Nzam, headquarters of Anambra West Local Government Area, where he stayed back to coordinate the Integrated Measles Campaign in the area.

17 January 2007 - At 96, Alhaji Mohammed Indene Abdullahi, continues to work hard as District Head of 60 communities and Chairman of the Village Health Committee (VHC) in Mada Central, Akwanga Local Government Area, Nasarawa State. He goes house to house to promote greater access to routine immunization (RI) services by his people.

Abuja , 7 November 2006 -- A new World Health Organization (WHO) Representative has arrived in Abuja, Nigeria. He is Dr. Peter Eriki, immediate past WHO Representative in Kenya. He replaces Dr. Mohammed Belhocine, who has been reassigned from the country, after three years of service.

24 July 2006 -- The rough road connecting them speaks of the challenges both local government areas (LGA) have faced in the race to rid Benue State of the wild polio virus (WPV), but Agatu LGA appears to have put the worst behind her, with no reported case since 2003.

24 July 2006 -- The faint mark on the wall showing that no child in the house was eligible for polio vaccination was misleading. Idris Mohammed , motorcycle mechanic and head of this household in Kofar Kudu Quarters of Jama’are, headquarters of the local government area (LGA) of the same name, confessed that his two wives used to drive away vaccinators, based on his instructions.

24 July 2006 - Alhaji Sayyadi Abubakar Mahmood, the 75-year old Emir of Ringim, is leading by example in Jigawa State, monitoring immunization activities in over 60 villages and hamlets at personal cost, to ensure that all eligible children are given oral polio drops during each round of polio campaigns.

24 July 2006 -- Sardauna Local Government Area (LGA), home of the Mambilla Plateau – famous for its unique settlers, steep inclines, lush vegetation and temperate weather, is one of the five hardest to reach areas in Taraba, a state which despite its geography, appears set to declare victory in the task of eradicating poliomyelitis from Nigeria. Since July 2005, the state has not had a confirmed case of the wild polio virus, in spite of that year’s tally of 133 acute flaccid paralysis cases, and 25 cases as at June 9, 2006.

In Kaduna State, Town Hall meetings are opening a new frontier for addressing community compliance in the polio eradication programme and ensuring community ownership of immunization. The meetings, which started in June 2005, have been conducted in the 15 very high risk local government areas (LGA). In Kaduna North LGA, data is showing a consistent drop in the number of non-compliance cases from 5,357 in the August 2005 round, to 1,312 in the March 2006 round.

27 January 2006 -- Abdullahi Wamzan, a community leader, watched with satisfaction as Attahiru Mohammed Chidawa, a trained health worker, vaccinated the children of Unguwan Magaji Lagan, a Kamberi Settlement in the Magama local government area (LGA) of Niger State. It was the first time ever that the community was hosting such an exercise to boost immunity in hard to reach areas among people who may not otherwise access immunization and other health services.