As Nigeria eagerly awaits her certification as polio-free by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has boosted the country’s efforts to finally end the scourge, which has affected thousands of children across the country.
The organisation, in support of government’s efforts to end polio, has released a detailed report which showed the impact of a partnership agreement on routine immunisation (RI) and polio eradication.
This was signed between the ADF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and six Northern States, comprising Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna, Sokoto, Borno and Yobe.
The 114-page report, which showcased the efforts of the ADF in the fight against polio, was released in Lagos, recently. It catalogued RI activities before and after the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the tripartite partners, with a marked upsurge in RI efforts after the MoUs were signed.
It also revealed that hundreds of thousands of under-five children, who are most prone to polio, have been successfully immunised against the virus.
The document, which contains analyses, interviews and pictures, was based on findings obtained from a recent spotlight visit undertaken by the philanthropic arm of the Dangote Group to the six MoU partner states, while tracking the progress made by each of the six states on RI and polio eradication under the partnership agreements.
The report revealed that the tripartite agreements have helped to strengthen RI and also provided technical, material and financial support to the partner states and their relevant agencies and stakeholders, with resultant rise in RI coverage for eligible children in both rural and urban areas, including those in hard-to-reach and inaccessible communities; and also greater involvement of traditional and religious leaders in the process.