The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organisation (WHO) said over 116 million children in 13 African countries would be vaccinated against polio next week.
In a statement in Abuja on Friday, the UN bodies said 90,000 vaccinators had been mobilised to carry out the immunisation designed to tackle polio stronghold in the continent.
They said the synchronised vaccination was one of the largest ever implemented in Africa.
The statement signed by UNICEF Chief of Communication, Ms Doune Porter, quoted WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, as saying that the exercise was part of urgent measures to permanently stop polio in Africa.
Moeti listed the benefiting countries as Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
He said all children under five years would be immunized.
Moeti said, “All children under five years of age in the 13 countries will be simultaneously immunized in a coordinated effort to raise childhood immunity to polio across the continent.
“In August, 2016, four children were paralysed by the disease in security-compromised areas of Borno, North-East Nigeria, widely considered to be the only place on the continent where the virus maintains its grip.
“20 years ago, Nelson Mandela launched the pan-African ‘Kick Polio out of Africa’ campaign.
“At that time, every single country on the continent was endemic to polio, and every year, more than 75,000 children were paralysed for life by this terrible disease.
“Thanks to the dedication of governments, communities, parents and health workers, this disease is now being beaten back to this final reservoir.”
NAN