Nigeria is set to receive a portion of Rotary International’s $50 million grant to support polio eradication efforts in 2025. The announcement was made on Thursday in Abuja by Mark Maloney, Chair of the Rotary Foundation, during his visit to Jahi Primary Health Center, where he administered vaccines and praised the nation’s efforts in combating polio. This development comes as variant poliovirus type 2 threatens the country’s polio-free status achieved in 2020.
Maloney expressed Rotary International’s commitment to the global fight against polio, emphasizing that over $300 million has already been invested in Nigeria. He urged the government to maintain its focus on eradicating variant polio, noting that the last case of wild poliovirus was recorded in 2016, leading to Nigeria’s declaration as polio-free in 2020. The new grant allocation, he said, depends on recommendations from the International Polio Plus Committee and final approval by Rotary Trustees in February.
The Rotary Foundation Chair also commended Nigeria’s maternal and child health interventions under the $2 million “Healthy Families in Nigeria” program, which has significantly increased healthcare facility births in targeted districts. Maloney noted that while it’s too early to assess the impact on mortality rates, the rise in facility-based births, from 11% to 33% within a year, demonstrates progress.
Despite these advancements, Joshua Hassan, Chairman of the Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee, revealed the challenges posed by the 92 reported cases of variant poliovirus type 2 as of December 2024. These vaccine-derived strains are concentrated in the northwest, particularly in states like Kano, Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, and Sokoto. Rapid immunization campaigns, Hassan said, are being deployed to curb the spread and prevent further outbreaks.
Maloney acknowledged the pressure on Nigeria’s healthcare system to address multiple health crises but urged prioritization of polio eradication. He praised the government’s existing accountability programs while encouraging sustained efforts similar to those that eliminated the wild poliovirus.
