The recent rise of poliomyelitis cases in Borno State has been blamed on terrorist activities in the region.

Borno has recorded 14 cases of polio so far this year, double the figure recorded last year and the highest among eight other northern states in the country yet to kick out the virus.

According to the state commissioner for health, Salma Anas-Kolo, the insecurity in parts of the state made it difficult for health workers to immunize children, thus leading to higher records of the polio virus.
Anas-Kolo said this at a sensitization programme for traditional leaders in the state to create awareness on the need to meet the World Health Organisation, WHO target of a polio-free world by 2014.

She said Maiduguri was picked for the kick-off of the sensitizationprogramme because it recorded the highest cases of six out of 14 in the state, adding that the incidencts could have been higher but for the dedication of health workers in spite of the insecurity in the area.

On his part, the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Al-Amin Elkanemi, who hosted the sensitization programme at his palace, called on his subjects to immunise their children from a few months to five years against the scourge.

He also called on all traditional institutions in the state to intensify effort towards fighting polio, insisting that the government will not give them any drug that will harm them.

In Nigeria, 37 cases of polio have been recorded this year, over 70 per cent of the global 44 cases.

The other states yet to completely eradicate the virus areAdamawa, Kano, Niger, Gombe, Nasarawa, Bauchi, Yobe and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Niger and the FCT have the lowest record of one case each.