Niger To Enforce Law Criminalising Refusal Of Polio Vaccines

Niger State Government has reiterated its commitment to enforce a law criminalising the refusal of parents and guardians to allow their wards to be immunised.

Governor of Niger state Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu represented by the deputy Governor Hon Ahmed Musa Ibeto stated this yesterday at a one day sensitisation campaign on polio eradication held at the palace of emir of Minna.

The sensitization campaign tagged “Youths against Polio” Aliyu said that the involvements of youths were crucial considering their role as agents of positive change in the society.

He said that the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the vision of the state to become the three top economies in the country depend on the strengthen primary healthcare system state.

Governor Aliyu noted that, scaling up investment in routine and supplemental immunization would help in eradicating wild polio virus completely and therefore called on the youths to support and participate actively in the implementation of polio eradication initiatives.

The governor advised, health promotion activities should be encourage in schools saying that all hands must be on deck to ensure that wild polio virus is kicked out of Nigeria by December this year.

He said that the 28 new polio cases recoded in 10 states required more effort to reverse the cases in order to delist? the country from the polio endemic nations.