Nigerian govt partners Bill Gates to tackle new polio strain

Following the discovery of the Vaccine Derived Poliovirus (VDPV) in some states in the country, the Nigerian government on Wednesday set up an intervention committee to urgently address the crisis.

This was one of the resolutions reached on Wednesday at the 144th edition of National Economic Council Meeting (NEC) chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

This is contained in a statement shared at the end of the meeting and signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communcations to President in the office of Mr Shettima, Stanley Nkwocha.

NEC, which comprises the 36 state governors, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, among other relevant government officials, sits once in a month with the responsibility to “advise the President concerning the economic affairs of the Federation, and in particular on measures necessary for the coordination of the economic planning efforts or economic programmes of the various governments of the federation.”

The Wednesday’s meeting had in attendance the Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, and the Chairman of National Economic Council

Tagged: “Committee on Eradication of Vaccine Derived Poliovirus,” the committee is expected to be chaired by the Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Yahaya, and will have as members, the governors of five states in Nigeria’s North-west where the strain has been discovered.

Backstory

The council made this resolution in response to the presentation by Mr Gates indicating an urgent need to address the challenge.

Nigeria was declared free of wild polio in 2020, but the spread of a different strain, known as circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2), is still a concern.

In 2021, the country reported 1,028 cases, followed by 170 cases in 2022. So far this year, 51 cases have been reported, mostly in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

To address this, the Nigerian government intensified routine immunisation using two vaccines; the fIPV vaccine and the new oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).

The government is focusing on 13 high-risk and conflict-affected states and has so far carried out campaigns in nine states, in phases.

NEC’s resolution

To accelerate the government’s efforts, NEC said it resolved to create a poliovirus eradication committee which will report back to it monthly.

NEC said members of the committee will also include “The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Director-General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and representatives from the NEC Secretariat and UNICEF.”

“Additionally, the Special Adviser to the President on NEC & Climate Change, the Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, a representative of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum will also serve on the committee.”

Vice president speaks

At the meeting, the Vice President emphasised the need to expand the health sector alongside other sectors in the pursuit of national development.

He said the future of this nation hinges on the health and well-being of the children.

According to him, the success of the country and the current administration relies on recognising the socio-economic threats that have continued to pull down the country’s development index.

He said; “More importantly, on our resolve to walk the talk. We are gathered here because none of us can fulfil the goal of guaranteeing the survival of our people in isolation.

“Whether by expanding access to quality education, improving healthcare, or offering skills training and job opportunities, it is clear that each one of us has the power to influence policy and decisions at various levels.”

He also commended the efforts of Mesrs Gates and Dangote as development partners to Nigeria, noting that they have companies have invested enormous resources into the welfare of Nigerians, spanning critical areas such as health, nutrition, agriculture, and education.

Mr Shettima added: “Their philanthropy is not seasonal but a steadfast commitment that continues to shape our nation’s future.

“We did not survive the lowest points of our journey as a nation by the proactivity of the government alone; we did so because we remained partners in rain and sunshine”.