Rotary International Holds Africa Polio Free Certificate Celebration In Abuja (PHOTOS & VIDEO)

 

The event was held on the 29th of August, at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja. And was attended by notable Nigerians and international partners around the world who made sure that polio became totally extinct in Nigeria.

Key facts

• Polio (poliomyelitis) mainly affects children under 5 years of age.

• 1 in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis. Among those paralysed, 5% to 10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.

• Cases due to wild poliovirus have decreased by over 99% since 1988, from an estimated 350 000 cases then, to 33 reported cases in 2018.

• As long as a single child remains infected, children in all countries are at risk of contracting polio. Failure to eradicate polio from these last remaining strongholds could result in as many as 200 000 new cases every year, within 10 years, all over the world.

• The victory over this paralyzing virus was worth celebrating in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Few amongst the many participants sighted at this certification celebration event are listed below;

Ms. Mary Beth Leonard, United States Ambassador to Nigeria 

Dr. Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Country Representative.

Dr Kayode Fayemi, Chairman Nigeria Governors Forums (NGF).

Dr. Halliru Yahaya HRH Emir of Shonga

Sir. Dr. Emeka Offor* Rotary International Polio Ambassador

Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, WHO Country Representative.

Awards and certificates were given out to partners with notable contributions in the achievement of this victory.

The event was not void of celebrities also, that were great contributors in the victory fight over polio in Nigeria. Celebrities like the King of comedy Ali Baba, Akiin Shuga and Sani Musa Danja were all in attendance.

Speaking to Akiin Shuga, the lead singer of the most prestigious live band in Nigeria, Rotary Polio Ambassador and the " I Can Walk" song crooner during the event, he expressed his gladness to be part of the team that beat polio hands down in Nigeria. He sighted the milestones with reference to the fact that he is a polio survivor. And is keen to see it being eradicated from Nigeria, Africa and the world at large.

Photos from the event:

Video below: