The Federal Government of Nigeria has signed a €10 million Euros aid agreement with the German Government to eliminate polio in the country, according to Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama.

He said: “As you know, we have come very close to eradicating polio in the world, but you know there are still one or two issues. The problem we have in the north east has exacerbate the situation and made it more difficult to eradicate.”

“We have engaged with the government of Nigeria for some time mostly under the assistance of the WHO and we want to continue with our engagement. We want to increase and consolidate our engagement and that is actually what we just did, I hope very much that polio will be removed from the country before long,” said for his part Bernhard Schlagheck, German ambassador to Nigeria during the signing ceremony in Abuja.

Nigeria is one of the only three countries in the world with ongoing wild poliovirus transmission, alongside Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ever since the discovery of wild poliovirus in northern Nigeria in 2016, the first time in two years, Nigeria and neighboring countries have carried out several vaccination campaigns to increase immunity and prevent the spread of the virus.

Anita Fatunji