Chinyere Amalu
21 October 2008
THE European Union- Partnership to Re-inforce Immunisation Efficiency (EU- PRIME) has earmarked the sum N1.3 billion Naira for the 2009 polio eradication programme in Nigeria.
The leader of the team Dr. Abba Zakari Umar, who announced this yesterday in Abuja at a media chat said the fund, would be used to improve immunization infrastructure including cold chain equipment, cold stores and health facilities renovation in some of the states where there are none.
His words, "We launched a work plan to construct cold stores and equipment needed to fight polio in the country, because most of these states we work with do not have standard cold stores where these vaccines can be kept, for example Abia and Kebbi States.
" The current work plan is ending June 2009, so part of the exit strategy in June 2009 is to build resource centres at the school of Technology in the six initial states we are working where personnel and manpower will be trained".
Dr. Umar, however, scored the overall performance of EU- PRIME; high adding that even though the level of preparedness by states varies from state to state, the PRIME has been able to talk the L.G.As into owning the programme.
" So the communities have moved from passive state to active state and we've also helped in the development of the ward system which was not there before", he stated.
Also speaking, Mrs Clara Kagondu called for an increase in routine immunization, adding that Nigeria is continuing to have a resurgence of wild polio- virus of over 72% confirmed cases.
"Routine immunization has to be increased, that is why we are still having resurgence of wild polio virus and outbreaks in measles etc.
"There are a lot of disparities in the polio virus count among the states. Only 15 states have reached 70%, seven states 60%, others lower." At the local government areas, the difference is much", she added.
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