WHO declares Nigeria polio free

The World Health Organisation on Thurday declared Nigeria free of polio virus.

The organisation on its Twitter handle said the devastating disease was at the moment endemic in only two countries, thereby bringing the world one major step closer to achieving the goal of ending polio for good.


Nigeria was said to have received the status after completing documentation which was accepted by the African Regional Certification Commission for polio eradication.

The Director-General of WHO, Dr Margaret Chan, said, “The outstanding commitment and efforts that got Nigeria off the endemic list must continue, to keep Africa polio-free. We must now support the efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan so they soon join the polio-free world.”

While reacting to the development, the Director of Media in National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Mohammed Ohitoto, told newsmen that it was a form of joy to Nigerians and the agency.