Polio Eradication Update
On The Ground In Nigeria - Thanks to Rotarians in Africa, including PDG Chris Offer, Rotary's response to the outbreak in Borno, Nigeria is underway - "The Nigerian polio external review surveillance project is complete just the reports to do. One of the interesting facets of the polio campaign in Nigeria I was able to see is the use of technology. In some areas vaccinators are given a GPS enable phone that acts as a transponder and uploads a GPS location every 2 minutes. This gives a clear map of where they vaccinated children and areas that may have been missed. Another important area of technology is the use of high resolution satellite images to give population estimates. Algorithms have been developed based on type of buildings to estimate population. This is important to ensure the right number of vaccinators and vaccine is assigned to each ward (neighborhood) and determine how many children under 5 may have been missed. The geomapping has proved substantially more accurate than dated census information." PDG Chris Offer
Rotary International provided a $500,000 grant for Polio eradication activities in the Borno, Nigeria and Lake Chad areas this week.
The Final Two Endemic Countries:
Pakistan - No new Polio cases reported this week. Thirteen Polio cases reported in 2016 with 54 cases recorded in 2015 The most recent case, with the onset of paralysis on 06/18/16 was from the South Waziristan agency of FATA. One new Polio-positive environmental sample was collected last week. In Pakistan, both the oral polio vaccine and the inactivated poliovirus vaccine are being used hand in hand to boost immunity; and committed healthcare workers are going to great lengths to build trust and to ensure every child is vaccinated.
Afghanistan - Two new Polio cases reported this week. Eight Polio cases reported in 2016 with 20 cases recorded in 2015. The most recent case, with an onset of paralysis on 08/08/16 was from Paktika - on the Pakistan border. No new Polio-positive environmental samples were collected in Afghanistan in 2016. National Immunization Days were completed last week and another is planned for October 3-7.
Nigeria - No Polio cases reported this week. The onset of the most recent cases, with the onset of paralysis on 7/6/16 and 7/13/16 were from the Borno state in northeast Nigeria. Zero cases were recorded in 2015. The outbreak response is being coordinated with neighboring countries in the broader humanitarian emergency response context affecting the region.
Importation Countries - Ethiopia (0-2015, 1-2014), Cameroon (0-2015, 5-2014), Somalia (0-2015, 5-2014), Iraq (0-2015, 2- 2014), Syria (0-2015,1-2014), & Equatorial Guinea (0-2015, 5-2014).
Nigeria - No Polio cases reported this week. The onset of the most recent cases, with the onset of paralysis on 7/6/16 and 7/13/16 were from the Borno state in northeast Nigeria. Zero cases were recorded in 2015. The outbreak response is being coordinated with neighboring countries in the broader humanitarian emergency response context affecting the region.
Importation Countries - Ethiopia (0-2015, 1-2014), Cameroon (0-2015, 5-2014), Somalia (0-2015, 5-2014), Iraq (0-2015, 2- 2014), Syria (0-2015,1-2014), & Equatorial Guinea (0-2015, 5-2014).
Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
Terry Ziegler, Rotary District 5890 Polio Eradication Chair & Zone 21B/27 PHS Coordinator