At least, 27 states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory have reported 395 cases of Circulating Mutant Poliovirus Type 2.

The Mandate Secretary, Health and Human Services, Abubakar Tafida, disclosed that the exercise would be done between January 22 and 26, adding that the secretariat would deploy 1,639 health officials to ensure a hitch-free vaccination exercise.

He spoke at the first meeting of the FCT Taskforce on the Polio Eradication Initiative and Routine Immunisation.

These were contained in a statement on Thursday by the Special Assistant to the FCT Minister of State, Austine Elemue.

The statement titled, ‘Aliyu moves to strengthen immunization structure in FCT’.

It read, “The Health and Human secretariat is set to deploy 1,639 teams in 4 days starting from January 22 to vaccinate 1165981 children under the age of five in 2,837 communities across the territory. We, therefore, charged participants to identify numerous challenges facing the immunization landscape at the FCT area council and community levels with a view to finding solutions to those challenges. Recall that in 2015, Mr President personally signed the reviewed Abuja Commitments document on behalf of the Federation while the Chairman, Governors’ Forum signed on behalf of the 36 States Governors and the Minister of FCT to ensure a Polio free Nation with clear responsibilities for each tier of government.”

On her part, the FCT Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu, assured the people that the Administration would do everything possible to strengthen the entire routine immunisation structure and primary health care landscape in the FCT.

Aliyu who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Administration, Muhammad Usman, called on chairmen of the six area councils to strengthen commitments to the polio eradication and routine immunization activities in their various councils.

She also noted that the efforts of the Taskforce has contributed significantly to the success of polio campaigns in the territory with no wild Polio Virus confirmed in FCT for over 7 years, calling for regular meetings of the Taskforce

Anthony Ogunleye, Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister Muhammed Bello revealed that four doctors succumbed to the disease, the latest being a female doctor.

Ogunleye further revealed that hospitals are operating at full capacity, including emergencies for adults, children, delivery and maternity services, 24-hour theatre service and other services despite the challenge of the virus in the FCT and Yuletide.

The statement read “The attention of the Federal Capital Territory Administration has been drawn to a newspaper publication saying that FCT hospitals are presently rendering skeletal services due to the death of 20 medical doctors of COVID-19. This figure which is very far from the truth was credited to Dr Enemo Amadu, the President of the FCT chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association. Dr Amadu had since said that he was misquoted, as the 20 fatalities he gave was the national figure of doctors who died of the disease, cutting across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. It is still pertinent that the FCTA sets the records straight in view of the fact that public confidence in public health institutions is very essential in the face of the current public health emergency orchestrated by COVID-19. While there had been incidences where COVID-19 positive patients had infected some medical personnel, this personnel and indeed the patients had been treated and discharged and the affected hospitals fully decontaminated. There has not been any other recorded fatality of health personnel over the last week. It is important to mention that these fatalities did not in any way affect the quality of services rendered in hospitals and most certainly not to the point of rendering skeletal services”.

Late Kyari died on April 17 as a result of COVID-19.

According to a tweet posted on Sunday night on the FCTA handle, Mohammed Kawu, acting secretary, health and human services secretariat at the FCTA, said all those identified and isolated, tested negative and have been reunited with their families.

He tweeted “The FCT Health & Human Services Secretariat is happy to announce that the individuals exposed during the burial of late COS to the President have completed their 14days of isolation. Tests were conducted and they have all tested NEGATIVE to #COVID19,”