In a continued effort to keep polio at zero level, the Rotary Club of Awka Urban, Rotary Club of Awka Metropolis, and Rotaract Club of Orumba Municipal jointly organized a seminar in Awka, the Anambra State capital, to commemorate World Polio Day 2025.
Speaking on the theme “Every Child Deserves to Live Without Polio,” Consultant Surgeon at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku Awka, Dr. Emmanuel Mba, emphasized the need for sustained vigilance despite Nigeria’s removal from the list of countries with endemic polio. He cited high migration rates and the risk of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus from regions with poor immunization coverage as key reasons to continue the fight.
Dr. Mba also highlighted the psychological, emotional, and economic impacts of polio on victims and their families, commending Rotary International for its ongoing role in vaccine provision and eradication efforts. He called for continued collaboration to completely eliminate the disease.
The Managing Director of the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Mr. Chris Molokwu, reaffirmed the media’s commitment to promoting public awareness and supporting campaigns against polio.
Assistant Governor of Rotary Zone 13, Reverend Sister Dr. Yves-Mary Obi, reiterated Rotary’s dedication to closing remaining gaps in polio eradication and appealed to well-meaning individuals to contribute to the cause, stressing that collective action remains key to sustaining a polio-free world.
