Rotary International marks one year of no polio case in Nigeria, award scholarships

Rotarians have marked the one year of no polio case in the country. Joining the celebration was the chairman, International Polio Plus Committee (IPPC), Michael McGovern, and Director, Polio Plus Division at Rotary International, Carol Pandak, who are on an official visit to Nigeria, alongside chairman, Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee, and Dr. Tunji Funsho, District 9110 Governor, comprising Lagos and Ogun states, Dr. Wale Ogunbadejo.

The visiting Rotarians, who were received at the District office in Ikeja G.R.A. yesterday, lauded the efforts of members in Nigeria in combating polio and congratulated the nation for the achievement, adding that it remains two more years of robust surveillance for the nation to be totally certified free of polio by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

McGovern, however, called on the Federal Government and the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan, the other two nations still contending with the virus, to keep on supporting Rotary for total eradication of polio.

He warned that as long as a single case of polio is prevalent in a nation, such a nation couldn’t be polio-free due to the possibility of the spread of the contagious virus. He also emphasised the importance of children being given the vaccine continuously until no more case of polio is recorded within the stipulated years for total freedom.

At the event, scholarships were awarded to three persons after being selected from the pool of applicants who lost loved ones in the course of carrying out polio immunization or a student undertaking a course in public health. Mr. Oso Oluwatosin Babafunsho, Sandra Iveren Shinshima and Dr. Tolorunju Ayodeji Edu emerged beneficiaries of the scholarship with N1,587,175 each.

Furthermore, popular Nolloywood actress, Kate Henshaw, yesterday emerged Polio Ambassador, and promised to promote the course of Rotary in eradicating polio.