From Ahmad SAKA, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Developnejt Agency BASPHCDA has explained that the state has detected 38 cases of circulating Vaccine derived Polio viruses out of the 315 samples collected from Januart to December 2021 in 12 out of the 20 local government areas of the state
The Chairman of the Agency Dr Rilwanu Mohammed gave the clarification today Monday when he interacted with journalists in Bauchi, He said “The circulating Vaccine derived Polio viruses which are presently referred to as the circulating Mutant Polio viruses (cMPV) normally results from mutation(change of form/characteristics) of the attenuated Polio viruses uses in the manufacturing of the Polio vaccines, these are not Wild Polio viruses (WPV) that causes paralyses, but are used as indicators to measure the quality of immunization services and disease surveilance”
He said ” Bauchi State like other states of the federation remains free from wild Polio virusesthe last case of wild Polio Virus detected in the stare was in 2013, all measures to prevent the recurrence of the virus as recommended by WHO are religious followed in the stateⁿ
Rilwanu said” as part of the Polio free certification activities the Workd Health organization directed every country to intensify surveillance activities strengthen routine immunization for children and continues public health education. The surveilance activities require collection of samples from children with cases of acute flaccid paralyses AFP from the environment at some designated sites”
He said the reported story on the emergence of Polio the information was a misrepresentation of speech by the Executive Chairman of the Agency.
