ABUJA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria on Wednesday declared three years without the detection of the viral polio disease, with local officials saying the country is set to record a historic milestone of being certified polio-free.
The virus was last detected in the country's northeastern state of Borno in August 2016.
As a result, Nigerian health authorities said a certification process had commenced ahead of declaring a polio-free country by March 2020, if the situation remains the same.
Head of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) Faisal Shuaib told reporters in Abuja that the final certification is subject to the Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) which will require "a detailed assemblage and review of surveillance, routine immunization, and supplemental immunization activities data by the National Certification Committee before submission of the final documentation to ARCC in March 2020."
Poliomyelitis, also known as polio, is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through the fecal-oral route, contaminated water or food.
It mainly affects young children and once infected, the virus multiplies in the intestine, affects the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
Globally, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria are the remaining countries yet to be declared free from polio.
Apart from huge funding earmarked for the elimination of polio within the shortest possible time by Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, the government had also been collaborating with development partners, said Shuaib.
"The result is what we are marking today - three years of being wild polio virus-free," he said.
The country representative of UNICEF in Nigeria, Pernille Ironside, described the development as an achievement toward the health and wellbeing of children in Nigeria.
"It has been a trying road to reach this milestone and we are proud to be part of the journey to reach this milestone," Ironside said, urging the west African country not to relent in its efforts to ensure that polio remained completely eradicated.
"While we commemorate this day, we must remember that the battle is not over yet. We have to maintain our efforts and intensify them to make sure the historic days are sustained and polio-free certification is obtained for Nigeria in due time, next year," she added. Enditem
