Nigeria to save $500m if certified polio-free

• As Rotary Unveils Phyno, Timaya As Polio Ambassadors
Chairman, Nigerian National Polio Plus Committee, Dr. Tunji Funsho has said Nigeria would save about $500m in 10 years, if certified polio free, as about $50m is spent on containing wild polio virus annually. 
 
Speaking at the unveiling of Phyno and Timaya as polio Ambassadors, Funsho said Nigeria is about three months away from being certified polio free by World Health Organisation (WHO).

He said by August, Nigeria would have gone three years without recording any case of Wild Polio Virus, a prerequisite by WHO to certify the country polio-free. Funsho revealed that Rotary Club had spent about $15bn on polio eradication globally, of which $270m has been expended in Nigeria.  

He said: “Twenty million volunteers, including Rotarians were involved because we need to utilise massive number of people in this kind of exercise. We have vaccinated two billion children while 16 million people are polio victims.

“The state governments also spent money on polio eradication, local governments, Rotary International, WHO, UNICEF, Gate Foundation and CDC. So, it will be very difficult to get the total amount spent.”