Rotary Club sensitize Nigerians on Importance of Polio Vaccines

Rotary International District 9110 has sensitize Nigerians on the importance of Polio Vaccines and the awareness campaigns designed to keep the disease permanently out of the country.

The district, comprising Lagos and Ogun States, joined millions of people across the world to commemorate this year’s World Polio Day with a sensitisation walk from June 12 cultural centre, Kuto Abeokuta Ogun State.

Rotary District Governor Mrs Omotunde Lawson said that the world would have recorded not less than 20 million paralyses children  if not for the advocacy and enlightenment on the polio vaccine, particularly by the Rotary club.

Lawson said, although Nigeria has been declared polio free, it is still not safe until polio is eradicated from the entire world.

According to her" Polio in Nigeria had been eradicated to a minimum level we have to keep the advocacy a continuum of activities because there are two countries in the world where polio is still endemic, and Rotary Club believes that polio in one place is polio in everywhere". 

"We need to support our parents, our future children, we need to tell the whole world that two countries are still endemic to polio, so our kids must be immunized because we don't know who they are going to meet in the in the future". 

Lawson maintained that open defecation was also an implication of polio because it can cause kantars, which could lead to polio in society, cautioning that people should put a stop to it. 

"Advocate is not just a word of mouth but requires action and a structure to reduce polio with 99.9 per cent in the world, Open defecation can cause kantars and it could lead to polio, so we need the support of stakeholders, Rotarians, lovers of the Rotary Club, and other non-governmental organisations in the whole world to continue their funds and support towards the eradication of polio in the World. 

In his remarks, the Chairman of polio plus Ogun State 2022 and also the director of health services at the Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB) Dr Abiodun Amusan, posited that it is pertinent to maintain the eradication of polio in the world. 

He maintained that the eradication of polio is the number project of the Rotary Club in the whole world while tasking the federal government to give a directive to the fourth estate of the realm on the proclamation against polio in Nigeria.

In his words, " To bring polio to zero level ,I think what we need from the federal government is the awareness.

"let all radio and media, houses be proclaiming it, because many people may still claim unaware and the immunization is free, you don't need money to take It, even pregnant women can take it to prevent their unborn child against polio"he concluded.