The independent Africa Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication, on Tuesday, officially declared that the World Health Organisation (WHO) African Region was free of the wild poliovirus.
This marks the eradication of the second virus from the face of the continent since smallpox 40 years ago.
The Chairperson of the ARCC, Prof. Rose Leke, described the development as historic.
“Today is a historic day for Africa. The African Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication is pleased to announce that the region has successfully met the certification criteria for wild polio eradication, with no cases of the wild poliovirus reported in the region for four years,” she said.
The ARCC’s decision comes after an exhaustive, decades-long process of documentation and analysis of polio surveillance, immunisation and laboratory capacity of the region’s 47 member states, which included conducting field verification visits to each country.
In 1996, African heads of state committed to eradicating polio during the 32nd ordinary session of the Organisation of African Unity in Yaoundé, Cameroon. At the time, polio was paralysing an estimated 75,000 children annually on the African continent.
In the same year, Nelson Mandela, with the support of Rotary International, jumpstarted Africa’s commitment to polio eradication with the launch of the Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign.
Mandela’s call mobilised African nations and leaders across the continent to step up their efforts to reach every child with polio vaccine.
The last case of wild poliovirus in the region was detected in Nigeria in 2016.
Since 1996, polio eradication efforts have prevented up to 1.8 million children from paralysis and saved approximately 180, 000 lives.
“This is a momentous milestone for Africa. Now, future generations of African children can live free of wild polio,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“This historic achievement was only possible thanks to the leadership and commitment of governments, communities, global polio eradication partners and philanthropists. I pay special tribute to the frontline health workers and vaccinators, some of whom lost their lives, for this noble cause.”
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja, expressed optimism that African countries could defeat the COVID-19 pandemic the same way it eradicated the wild polio virus from the continent.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President spoke during the virtual session of the 70th World Health Organisation’s regional committee for Africa, where the continent was formally declared to have been certified free of the wild polio virus.
The statement was titled, ‘Like polio, we can defeat COVID-19, President Buhari declares, lauds Aliko Dangote, Bill Gates, Emeka Offor, others’.
Adesina quoted the President as saying, “I recall that shortly after assuming office in May 2015, I made a pledge to Nigerians that I would not bequeath a polio-endemic country to my successor.
“This certification is, therefore, a personal fulfilment of that pledge to not only Nigerians, but to all Africans.”
“At a time when the global community is battling the COVID-19 pandemic, this achievement strengthens my conviction that with the requisite political will, investments and strategies, as well as citizens’ commitment, we will flatten the epidemic curve.
“I can affirm the commitment of all African leaders to this course of action.”
Buhari assured the global community that Nigeria would sustain the momentum and leverage the lessons from polio eradication to strengthen her health system, especially primary health care.
