Using the polio programme to deliver primary health care in Nigeria: implementation research

Objective To evaluate a project that integrated essential primary health-care services into the oral polio vaccine programme in hard-toreach, underserved communities in northern Nigeria.Methods In 2013, Nigeria's polio emergency operation centre adopted a new approach to rapidly raise polio immunity and reduce newborn, child and maternal morbidity and mortality. We identified, trained and equipped eighty-four mobile health teams to provide free vaccination and primary-care services in 3176 hard-to-reach settlements. We conducted cross-sectional surveys of women of childbearing age in households with children younger than 5 years, in 317 randomly selected settlements, pre- and post-intervention (March 2014 and November 2015, respectively). Findings From June 2014 to September 2015 mobile health teams delivered 2 979 408 doses of oral polio vaccine and dewormed 1 562 640 children younger than 5 years old; performed 676 678 antenatal consultations and treated 1 682 671 illnesses in women and children, including pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria. The baseline survey found that 758 (19.6%) of 3872 children younger than5 years had routine immunization cards and 690/3872 (17.8%) were fully immunized for their age. The endline survey found 1757/3575 children (49.1%) with routine immunization cards and 1750 (49.0%) fully immunized. Children vaccinated with 3 or more doses of oral polio vaccine increased from 2133 (55.1%) to 2666 (74.6%). Households' use of mobile health services in the previous 6 months increased from 509/1472 (34.6%) to 2060/2426(84.9%). Conclusion Integrating routine primary-care services into polio eradication activities in Nigeria resulted in increased coverage for supplemental oral polio vaccine doses and essential maternal, newborn and child health intervention

Overview of the WHO Polio Laboratory Network in the African Region

The Polio Laboratory Network has always played a critical role in diagnosing poliovirus disease (poliomyelitis) and the detection of poliovirus transmission. In the new millennium; the strength of the laboratory network is often a direct reflection of the success of the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) programme. The network has taken advantage of new technologies that provide speedy turnaround times for results reporting thus contributing to the success of the PEI programme. This article presents a brief overview of the work of the network

Poliomyelitis eradication remains a challenge in Africa

During the last two decade; twelve wild type 1 poliovirus genotypes have been characterized in Africa. Several distinct clusters have been identified within some of them and appeared to be segregated geographically. This distribution could represent newly emerging genotypes and independent sustained circulation of these lineages or cross border transmission between countries of a single genotype followed by a different natural evolution in each country. Concurrent circulation of more than one poliovirus genotype was seen in Nigeria; Togo; Central Africa Republic and South Africa. The present study which has generated a meaningful overview of the endemic circulation of wild type 1 poliovirus in Africa; could be a basis for further evaluation of the impact of mass vaccination campaigns on wild type 1 poliovirus

Le progamme Polio Plus du Rotary International au Togo

Dans cet article; l'auteur parle des resultats spectaculaires par le programme de la vaccination Polio Plus. 80 pour cent des enfants du monde avait ete vaccines contre la poliomyelite et d'autres maladies. L'auteur met l'accent sur le programme de Polio Plus au Togo