The Rotary Foundation has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining Nigeria’s polio-free status and reducing maternal and child mortality across the country, describing the efforts of Nigerian Rotarians and health workers as vital to global health.
Speaking during a Community Dialogue and Joint Partners Health Outreach organised by Rotary International in Gwarinpa Village, Abuja, the Chairman of the Rotary Foundation Board, Holger Knaack, said although Africa was certified polio-free five years ago, continued vaccination remains necessary until the disease is completely eradicated worldwide.
Knaack said: “Rotary’s goal is to eradicate polio, to kick it out of the world.
“As long as there are single cases in Pakistan and Afghanistan, we must continue vaccinating children.
“Even though Africa has been free of wild polio-virus for five years, our children are not safe until every child everywhere is protected.”
He emphasised that every newborn in Nigeria must continue to receive polio immunisation to ensure the virus never resurfaces.
Knaack, who is also visiting other countries, said Nigeria remains central to Rotary International’s global health programmes because of its scale and impact.
“Three of our major projects are happening here in Nigeria – the polio eradication campaign, the ‘Together for Healthy Families’ initiative aimed at ensuring safe childbirth and reducing maternal and child deaths, and the Rotary Healthy Community Challenge, which targets malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia – the three biggest killers of children,” he said.
He commended Nigerian philanthropist Sir Emeka Offor for his $5 million donation to Rotary’s maternal and child health programmes, describing the support as “outstanding.”
“I want to thank all Nigerians and all Rotarians for fighting against maternal and child deaths.
“What happens here shows donors in Europe and the United States that their contributions are making real impact. It is an investment in global health,” Knaack said.
Also speaking, Trustee of the Rotary Foundation, Dr. Ijeoma Pearl Okoro, said Rotary’s maternal and child health project has already reduced mortality by 28 percent in three years across four pilot states of Ekiti, Nasarawa, Gombe, and the FCT.
“Our goal is that no mother or child should die during childbirth.
“We are expanding the programme to 10 states next year, thanks to the support from the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation,” she said.
Rotarian Okoro noted that Rotary’s interventions begin before conception and continue until a child turns five years old, adding that collaboration with traditional rulers, health workers, and community members has been key to success.
“Community cooperation is everything. You can see the health workers, the mothers, and traditional leaders participating, it’s because they’ve seen results,” she explained.
She urged the media and government to intensify awareness campaigns on immunisation, saying communication and community engagement remain the most powerful tools against polio.
“Even though wild polio-virus has been eradicated from Nigeria, it still exists in Pakistan and Afghanistan and because Nigerians travel everywhere, polio anywhere is polio everywhere. We must not relax until it’s wiped off the face of the earth,” she said.
Also, the Village Head of Gwarinpa Village, Alhaji Umar Bayaro emphasised the importance of polio immunisation to the health of the Community.
He pledged to continue to work with the Rotary International to sustain their interventions in the community.
He said: “My hope is to continue encouraging my people to visit the Oprima Health Care Centre.
“Taking the polio vaccine is essential for preventing certain illnesses in our society, and this goal can only be achieved when community leaders are actively involved.
“I am fully committed, alongside other leaders here today, to ensuring that our people participate and benefit.
“I will always support any organisation that brings development projects to my community. I will stand with them to ensure success.
“I also want to urge the Rotary Club not to forget to come back, sustainability is my priority.
“We will continue to sustain whatever has been put in place in this community, and that is why you can already see the positive changes happening here”.
Rotary International has been at the forefront of the global polio eradication effort for over three decades, partnering with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
