Nigeria records 367 polio cases in August; Japan donates $8.5 million to help with vaccination efforts

From AllAfrica.com. A UNICEF press release discusses the donation from the government of Japan.

ABUJA, Nigeria — About 367 polio cases have so far been recorded in August across 26 states in Nigeria.

A report by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) showed a dramatic reduction in the wild polio virus type 1, which is being identified as the most dangerous and capable of causing paralyses immediately, if a child gets infected.

The report states that last year, the number of type 1 polio cases was about 525, while type 3 was only 47 in 22 states, but as of July this year, the number of type 1 dropped drastically to 68 while the type 3 moved up the ladder to 299 and the number of infected states increased to 26 states.

The Executive Director of the NPHCDA Professor Muhammed Pate attributed the successes so far recorded to the six national immunizations rounds conducted around the country as well as the involvement of all stakeholders, especially the traditional and religious leaders.

Meanwhile, the report also states that Kano recorded the highest number of type 3 with about 99 cases, but had only 1 case of type 1, followed closely by Bauchi state with 42 type 3 cases and one case of type 1, Katsina state, dubbed tobe a high risk state, also has about 34 cases of type 1 but has one of type 1.

Other states affected by the polio virus are Borno with 2 cases of type 1 and 16 cases of type 3, Yobe state with one type 1 and fourteen type 3 cases, Jigawa state with one type 1 and 14 type 3 cases, Kaduna state with 16 cases of only type 3, Kebbi state with 1 type 1 and 13 cases of type 3 and Sokoto which has 3 cases of type 1 and 12 of type 3.