Nigeria has recorded 395 cases of Circulating Nigeria Mutant Poliovirus Type 2 (cMPV2) across 27 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT’).
The Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in response to media reports that there was an outbreak of a new poliovirus in some States.
Dr Faisal, however, stated that the circulating mutant Polio-Virus Type 2 recorded in the 27 States and Abuja was different from the wild poliovirus, which the World Health Organisation gave its Polio Free Certification to Nigeria in 2020.
He explained that cMPV2 outbreaks are caused by immunity gaps in children due to several reasons, including low routine immunization coverage, and missing children during immunization campaigns.
He said, “The suspension of several polio campaigns and other health programmes in 2020, as well as disruptions to routine immunization because of the COVID-19 pandemic, created further immunity gaps which led to new and wider outbreaks, and further increased transmission of the circulating mutant poliovirus both globally and within Nigeria.”
According to him, the viruses thrive in areas with poor sanitation, open defecation, and inadequate access to clean drinking water.
Dr Faisal said Nigerian partnership with donors and development partners, has already acquired new tools and resources to ensure the outbreaks are contained through very robust outbreak responses using the novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV2) which has been shown to be effective in halting the spread of the cMPV2.
He gave the assurance that the NPHCDA would scale up routine immunisation, especially in the affected states in order to curb the spread of the circulating mutant Polio-Virus Type 2.
