Jumoke Olasunkanmi
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has issued a warning regarding the active spread of the Circulating Variant Polio Virus Type 2 (cVPV2), saying children who have not received the required vaccinations or booster shots are more vulnerable to it.
Although Nigeria was declared free from the Wild Poliovirus in 2020, the presence of the cVPV2 variant, a vaccine-derived poliovirus, continues to pose a significant threat to public health.
NPHCDA, in a statement on its official Twitter account on Monday, warned the general public that children who have not been vaccinated or received booster shots stand a greater risk of infection.
“This warning serves as a vital reminder of the importance of complete vaccination to prevent the resurgence and spread of polio,” it stated.
While appealing to parents and caregivers to prioritise their children’s health by ensuring they receive the full course of polio vaccinations, including both the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and oral polio vaccine (OPV) as recommended by health authorities, NPHCDA uunderscored he critical role vaccination plays in maintaining Nigeria’s polio-free status and protecting children from the effects of the disease.
