…Calls for Renewed Vigilance

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

As the world marks World Polio Day 2025, Rotary International Polio Ambassador to Nigeria, Sir (Dr.) Emeka Offor, has reiterated his commitment to ensuring that Nigeria remains polio-free while sustaining the fight against all forms of the virus.

In a message to commemorate the day, Sir Offor expressed gratitude for Nigeria’s remarkable progress in the decades-long campaign to eradicate polio but urged stakeholders not to become complacent.

“Through Rotary International, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), and the dedication of countless Nigerians, we have transformed what once seemed impossible into a story of real progress and hope,” he said.

Sir Offor celebrated the milestone that Nigeria and Africa have achieved in eliminating wild poliovirus, noting that the continent’s success was a testament to unity, perseverance, and partnership. However, he cautioned that the circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) still poses a risk that requires continuous vigilance and action.

“Wild poliovirus is gone from our soil, but our mission is not yet complete. The threat of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus still exists, and that means our vigilance must not waver,” he warned.

Through the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF), he said ongoing interventions are focused on reaching underserved communities, strengthening immunization systems, and supporting the health workforce.

The foundation’s key initiatives include:

Supporting vaccination drives in hard-to-reach areas.

Strengthening cold-chain systems to preserve vaccine potency.

Training and equipping frontline health workers.

Engaging communities through education and trust-building.

Partnering with traditional and religious leaders to extend outreach.

Sir Offor emphasized that the final phase of polio eradication demands even stronger government commitment — particularly in maintaining surveillance, expanding routine immunization, and sustaining frontline operations.

Looking ahead, he announced that the SEOF, in collaboration with Rotary International and other GPEI partners, is pursuing new strategies to consolidate gains and prevent resurgence. These include integrating polio vaccination with broader health services, deploying digital tracking systems for rapid response, and strengthening Nigeria’s routine immunization network to ensure no child is left behind.

Speaking at the event, the District Governor of Rotary District 9127, Dr. Joy Nky Okoro, described 2025 as a defining year in Rotary’s decades-long campaign to eliminate polio globally.

“We are creating awareness and calling on everyone to get involved so that we can totally end polio on the surface of the earth,” Dr. Okoro said. “Parents must take their children to medical centers for vaccination from birth to five years. Polio has caused so much devastation, and we must ensure no child suffers such deformity again.”

She commended the Nigerian government and its development partners for sustaining strong immunization drives and surveillance systems that earned Nigeria its polio-free certification five years ago. However, she cautioned that the fight is not over, noting that Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only countries where the wild poliovirus still exists, largely due to insecurity and misinformation.

“Until the world is polio-free, no country is completely safe,” she added.

The Chief of Staff to Sir Emeka Offor, AIG Chris Ezike (rtd), stressed the need for continuous funding, partnerships, and community advocacy, warning that governments alone cannot shoulder the global financial burden of eradication.

“The world is not free if we are not free from polio,” Ezike said. “Vaccine-derived poliovirus still poses a risk, and sustained funding is critical. The government alone cannot do it — non-governmental organizations must continue to support advocacy and immunization efforts.”

He noted that the SEOF operates through a three-pronged strategy — health, education, and empowerment — with polio eradication forming a central part of its health interventions.

“Our boss, Sir Emeka Offor, as Rotary’s Polio Ambassador, ensures Nigeria continues to play its global role in ending polio. We are supporting advocacy and funding immunization campaigns to keep the virus at bay,” he said.

Also speaking, the District Polio Chair of Rotary District 9127, Dr. Kadijat Kuburat Yusuf, underscored the importance of sustained vigilance despite Africa’s polio-free status.

“It is not over until it is over,” Yusuf said. “Until Afghanistan and Pakistan are polio-free, every child is still at risk. Because of security challenges in those countries, total eradication has been difficult. But as long as one child remains infected anywhere, all children remain vulnerable.”

Dr. Yusuf explained that polio, a viral disease spread through poor hygiene and contaminated water, once paralyzed over 350,000 children annually worldwide, but global vaccination efforts have reduced cases by 99.9%.

“The remaining 0.1% that still lingers in Afghanistan and Pakistan is what the world must focus on,” she noted. “If the virus travels, even through one infected person, it could resurface in other countries. Continued vaccination and surveillance are non-negotiable.”

In his remarks, the President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Metro, Rotarian Frederick Odika, reaffirmed Rotary’s dedication to ongoing advocacy, sensitization, and awareness campaigns to prevent any resurgence of the virus in Nigeria or Africa.

“Any child infected with polio poses a risk to every other child, anywhere in the world,” Odika said. “We will continue our advocacy and awareness efforts to ensure Nigeria and Africa remain polio-free.”

The event reinforced Rotary’s central message: the fight against polio requires global unity, community trust, and unrelenting vigilance until total eradication is achieved.