By Lawal Adenike
Borno State’s Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Baba Malam-Gana, has confirmed the detection of wild poliovirus in the state, marking a significant development as the virus was identified through a sewage water sample rather than a human case. The discovery has reignited concerns in a region that was previously declared free of the virus.
This detection comes nearly four years after Nigeria was declared free of wild poliovirus by the World Health Organization (WHO) in August 2020. The recent case was found in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State, an area that has battled polio in the past. Speaking to HumAngle, Prof. Malam-Gana confirmed the presence of the virus while addressing growing rumors within the state.
“We have detected a single instance of wild poliovirus,” Prof. Malam-Gana stated, clarifying that the virus was found in a sewage sample, indicating environmental contamination rather than a direct human case.
Polio, a highly infectious disease caused by the wild poliovirus, is primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route. The disease predominantly affects children under five years old and can lead to irreversible paralysis in about 1 in 200 infections. In severe cases, the virus can cause respiratory paralysis, leading to death in 5 to 10 percent of those affected.
Borno State was one of the last regions in Nigeria to report cases of wild poliovirus, with the last known case occurring in August 2016, before Nigeria achieved its polio-free status. The recent detection marks a significant event as it comes after a two-year period without confirmed cases in Africa, which had been celebrated as a major public health victory.
Despite the detection, Prof. Malam-Gana has assured the public that there is no immediate cause for concern. “We are actively monitoring the situation and ensuring it remains under control,” he said, emphasizing that the situation is being handled with the utmost care.
He further clarified that the detection was made through routine sewage testing, a practice that helps monitor the presence of the virus in the environment. “The reported case was not from a human outbreak,” he stressed, aiming to dispel fears of a widespread resurgence of the disease.
The Borno State Health Ministry, in collaboration with national and international health agencies, has already ramped up its surveillance efforts to prevent any potential spread of the virus. Health officials are also intensifying immunization campaigns, particularly targeting children under five, to ensure that immunity levels remain high and to mitigate any risk of transmission.
