Nigeria: Polio Vaccines to be Administered at Military Checkpoints

Health officials in Nigeria have confirmed that they will be administering polio vaccines at various military checkpoints throughout the the eastern part of the country.

While Nigeria had been declared officially polio-free in 2015, a recent flare of the disease has caused major concern amongst health officials.

They believe that the reason for the new outbreak of the disease is directly linked to the actions of terrorist group, Boko Haram.

The camps that Boko Haram keep their hostages in, and the villages that they have taken, are usually a breeding ground for various types of disease, including polio.

In August, two new cases of polio were reported by Nigerian health officials.

These two cases were discovered among refugees that were recently rescued from Boko Haram. A third polio case was later confirmed as well.

Read: Polio Epidemic: WHO Confirms Third Case in Nigeria

According to Abdullahi Hammandikko, a team leader for the vaccination process, up to 80 children are currently being vaccinated per day at the various military checkpoints.

He also said that while there is resistance from some parents, most of them are co-operating with the vaccinations.