'Kwara, Kogi Polio Workers Not Threatened'

The Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Kayode Issa and a member of the Committee on Polio Eradication in the state, Mr. Muyiwa Gbadebo, have said that the lives of polio vaccination officers and other health workers are not being threatened in the two states.

They spoke in separate telephone interviews with our correspondent on Thursday.

They maintained that there was a good collaboration among the state government, traditional and religious leaders and health/polio vaccination officials.

They claimed that the two states had been polio-free since 2009, adding that their state governments had invested heavily in polio eradication.

Issa said while there was no threat to the lives of polio workers, the state government was not leaving anything to chance.

He stated that the government had decided to beef up security during immunisation periods and provide special security when expatriates are in the state.

'Kwara State being a 'State of Harmony' and a state that has enjoyed relative peace in recent times, we do not have any threat to those that are working with us. Those working through the UNICEF, National Primary Health Development Agency and all the other organisations that are supporting us in our immunisation campaign are not threatened. (Punch)