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28 February 2014
By Raheem Oluwafunminiyi
"It is unacceptable that polio
continues to infect our children and cause such
suffering in Nigeria." Sir Emeka Offor
There is no denying the fact that the
polio scourge has become a challenge to many countries
in sub-Saharan
Africa. Its effect continues to hunt us because of
several reasons that have to do with culture, religion
among others. In Nigeria for example, and according to
polio Global Polio Eradication Initiative,
Nigeria is believed to have one of the
most entrenched reservoirs of wild poliovirus in the
world. It is the only country with on-going
transmission of all three serotypes: wild poliovirus
type 1, wild poliovirus type 3, and circulating
vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2. States in the north
of the country are the main source of polio infections
elsewhere in Nigeria and in neighbouring countries. In
2009, operational improvements in these northern
states led to a 90% decline in cases of wild
poliovirus type 1 and a 50% decline in overall cases
compared with 2008.
Several efforts in the last couple of
years have witnessed a level of reduction in polio
cases across the country. Quite recently, the Minister
of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, noted that the
Federal Government
would partner with leading stakeholders in order to
eradicate polio by the end of 2014. This was made
known after Nigeria's impressive performance on polio
eradication in 2012 and 2013 provided a clear
indicator that the country would end polio
transmission at the end of this year. Despite the
aggressive drive by the current government to see that
polio is eradicated from our society, some individuals
have taken up the challenge even more aggressively to
fill the vacuum left. One of such individual is Sir
Emeka Offor, the founder of The Chrome Group, one of
Nigeria's leading indigenous multinational businesses
with subsidiaries operating in oil and gas exploration
and production, oil and gas servicing, engineering,
insurance, logistics and power industries.
Through the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation
(SEOF), efforts are
underway in partnership with Rotary Club to kick-off
the National Immunization Day in Oraifite,
Anambra State on March 1st 2014.
The exercise, which is one of the myriads of
philanthropic commitments of SEOF, is geared towards
global efforts in polio eradication. The founder of
SEOF, Sir Emeka Offor has over the years demonstrated
compassion to all children, widows and to the welfare
of the weak and poor in our society.
In July 2013, to boost the global
efforts in polio eradication, he donated a total of
$1M of his personal money to Rotary International.
Such singular contribution earned him the title of
First Polio Ambassador of Nigeria. His philanthropic
gestures are not limited to cash donations. Sir Emeka
Offor strongly speaks out in favor of polio
eradication in Nigeria and the world. He believes that
every child should have a "right to health", esteeming
the mantra of noble global humanitarian body like
World Health Organization (WHO).
Where we are
Since the global polio eradication
initiative began in 1988, WHO has recorded a 99%
reduction in number of cases from about 353,000 down
to 221 in 2012. The fight for total eradication of
polio, particularly in the known 3 endemic regions
(Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan) is in full swing;
because no child is safe until polio has been
completely eradicated. To add to the benevolent
donation of $1M by Sir Emeka Offor, Rotary Club has in
the month of February released about $36M towards the
fight against Polio.
Where we are going
In February 2012, WHO removed India
from the list of polio-endemic countries, making it a
momentous medical achievement. This status was
possible due to massive financial support, advocacy,
relentless research and strong political will. Nigeria
can therefore, join the league of polio free nations
when we address low routine immunization rates and
surveillance gaps in polio free areas, maintain
funding and political commitment to implement the
eradication strategies.
As a proud Nigerian and the First Polio
Ambassador of Nigeria, Sir Emeka Offor desires that
every child should be immunized to protect against
polio virus infection. He is committed to making
Nigeria a polio free nation. On Saturday, March 1st
2014,
he will be rolling up his sleeves to administer polio
vaccine to a number of children gathering at SEOF
Complex in Oraifite, Anambra State at 10:30am.
Sir Emeka Offor calls on all Nigerians,
entrepreneurs, oil and gas icons, politicians and
civil society leaders to join him in stepping up the
fight against polio. He calls on all parents
regardless of their religious orientation to embrace
global efforts on polio eradication, abandon all
unscientific and superstitious dogmas and ensure that
every child is vaccinated.
In the words of Dr. Margaret Chan,
Director-General, World Health Organization, "As an
international community, we have few opportunities to
do something that is unquestionably good for every
country and every child, in perpetuity."
Our children have every right to live a
normal life and develop in ways that will give them
satisfaction to achieve their life long ambitions and
ideals. We must all come together to see that polio is
not only fought and eradicated but also become a thing
of the past in our respective societies and our dear
country, Nigeria. We our children this favour and
through the SEO Foundation, we can begin to beat our
chest to say we have gotten there.
Dr. Edwin Ndukwe
Austin Texas
edwin.ndukwe@gmail.com |
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