The hope for the fight against polio is becoming brighter as Africa reports zero polio incident for the first time, New York Times reports.
But that doesn't mean Africa will be polio-free forever. Health officials still keep their eyes for its possible resurgence.
"The goal had seemed tantalizingly close in recent years, but polio always managed to roar back, particularly in Nigeria," news in the New York Times said.
That is why officials are keen to trying a new approach in vaccinating the locals and keeping the country under surveillance. Thousands of community "mobilizers" have already been dispatched to track down those who have not yet been unvaccinated. Likewise, operations centers have been opened throughout Nigeria to "monitor progress and seeking out support from clerics and tribal chiefs," the news continues.
Experts also consider the violent insurgencies in the country as another potential threat towards totally eliminating the disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, polio or poliomyelitis, is a crippling infectious disease, which could prove deadly if not even immediate attention. The poliovirus is contagious and may be acquired if the virus reaches the person's brain and spinal cord. A person eventually becomes crippled or paralyzed only hours after the onset of the infection. Since August 11, 2015, no polio case was recorded in Africa. The last recorded incident was in August last year when a resident of Hobyo district of Mudug province in Somalia. However, it would still take two more years before Africa is certified as polio-free.
The problem, though, is the armed conflict that plagues Somalia and Nigeria, which could hamper the fight against the disease since al-Shabaab and Boko Haram are fighting Islamist militants, making it dangerous to get the vaccines to the children.
In Nigeria alone, 5 million to 6 million children are targeted to get polio vaccine each year. It is expected that 90%-95%, if not all of these children, should be vaccinated to prevent polio from recurring, the Guardian reports.
