World Health Organization delegation on Friday visited the last polio victim in Nigeria and the renovated state psychiatric hospital in Maiduguri. Nigeria was recently declared free of wild polio virus.
Speaking during the visit, WHO Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi said the states that the federal governments must be vigilant and to sustain the temple through vigorous surveillance, especially at the border towns and communities surrounding the country.
He appealed to the governments not to relent on their efforts of eradicating polio in the country despite the WHO declaration of the Nigeria polio free.
Kazadi who stated this Friday at EOC Center Maiduguri when he visited the child and his parents in company of UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, M. Edward Kallon and other WHO officials, made a presentation of gifts to the six year old last polio victim in Africa and Nigeria, Modu Busami and his mother, Aisha supported by the United Nations Resident Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Edward Kallon.
He said, “it is heartwarming to see little Modu, the last polio victim in Africa in good condition. I congratulate the parents for allowing the child to receive the required vaccines against the wild polio virus.”
In an interview with his parents, Aisha Bulama Kachallah and Alhaji Bulama Kachallah, mother and father, respectively, the child, Modu Busami was born in Debele village Monguno Local Government Area of Borno state was first presented to the medical team on polio immunization in Monguno town with early symptoms when he was 2 years old.
According to them, “about four years later, after intensive care and resilience by the parents in ensuring compliance with the routine immunization and administration of drug”.
“Modu has steadily now been walking without any support in his on his two legs with the hope that in future he will become active and productive in the society”, the parents said.
The parents however expressed their profound gratitude and appreciation to the state government and WHO for their support and donation.
They also called on donor agencies to sponsor the education of Modu Busami despite ty assistance rendered so far to make him recover from the wild polio virus.
“We don’t have the wherewithal to sponsor the education of this child, we will be happy if he will be given scholarship” the parents said.
It will be recalled that the six year old Modu Busami was among the four polio cases recorded in Borno state in 2016 which stopped Nigeria, as a nation from being certified polio free by WHO.
Also speaking, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator, in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon said eradication of the remaining wild polio virus was a renewed hope for a better life to victims of the virus.
He urged parents to allow their children to be vaccinated to prevent resurgence of the polio virus while presenting a laptop gift to the child, Modu Busami and a wrapper to ty mother, Aisha.
Later, the WHO Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi was at the WHO renovated State Psychiatric Hospital Budum , Customs Area Maiduguri for inspection and assessment of the renovation works executed by the WHO to support the state government.
He said WHO decided to support the state government in this direction following an observed increasing cases psycho social and mental illnesses as a result of this COVID-19 pandemic and insurgency.
Walter also pledged to continue to support the state government in this are as if manpower and facilities at the hospital if the need arises, noting that, “we are ever ready to support in any aspect including the training of personnel. We have professionals in this filed and we can also in facilities when the need arises”.
The Chu f Nursing Officer of the hospital, Audu Buba Zarami conducted the WHO delegation round the premises. Offices and facilities available and thanked WHO for its support to humanity.
He also thanked the State Governor, Babagana Zulum for his assistance and support to the hospital while assuring prompt and effective services to the inmates.
Zarami noted now the hospital has a 4 capacity wards with spacious and aesthetics buildings unlike in the past years since the establishment of the health center, no major repays has ever been carried out, especially after the book haram insurgents attack on the hospital.
Originally published by National Accord Newspaper