Bauchi Intensifies Surveillance to Fight Type 2 Polio Virus

By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Bauchi State government has intensified efforts on surveillance system to fight type 2 polio virus found in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Zuwaira Hassan, who stated this during a press briefing in Bauchi weekend, emphasised that the state government has embarked on active surveillance system to combat the polio virus in the state.

She said intensive campaign and awareness will be carried out across the 20 local government areas of the state to get rid of the type 2 Polio virus found in the state recently.

According to her, “The type 2 polio virus was last discovered years back and that wild polio virus was last discovered five years back in the state,” adding that the type 2 virus was first discovered in Jigawa, Yobe, Katsina and some part of the north and Niger Republic.

The commissioner explained that the virus were only discovered in ponds, drainages and refuse in the communities, adding that it is not discovered in human being.

She stressed that the Bauchi State government was committed to eradicating polio in the state, “with the basket fund MoU between Bill and Millinder Gates, Aliko Dangote and the state government on polio and immunization”.

“I am confident that we have done well in trying to eradicate polio. Therefore there is need to improve access to information to health workers who are stationed at different health facilities,” she said.

Dr Hassan also said: “This would help the state government know the rate of frequency of a particular disease in a community and prevent its spread.”

While saying that the surveillance system is yet to be carried out across the 20 local government areas of the state, she reiterated the commitment of government to continue organising a supplementary and routine immunisation day in all health facilities and outreach centres in the state.

According to her, the secondary and tertiary health care providers have to be innovative in making sure that diseases are promptly reported to bridge the gap.

She also urged families to continue to immunise children and prevent a resurgence of this disease.