An article released from IRIN earlier this month explained how the supplementation of vitamin A from Helen Keller International has led to an increase in acceptance of polio vaccines from parents for their children. As explained by the World Health Organization website, “polio is a viral disease transmitted through contaminated food and water. The disease affects mostly children and its symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, and pain in the limbs. In a small proportion of cases, it causes paralysis, which is often permanent. Polio can only be prevented by immunization.”

Although Nigeria hopes to eradicate polio by 2015, the vaccine has met resistance from some religious groups and traditional leaders.  However thanks in large part to general acceptance of vitamin A supplementation, which is distributed in order to reduce child mortality, river blindness, malaria, and other infectious diseases, HKI has been able to successfully use vitamin A distributions as an entrée to parental acceptance polio vaccines during government immunizations and health days. “Now almost every household brings its under-fives for polio immunization once it is accompanied by a Vitamin A supplement,” local government immunization officer Mamman Isa told IRIN.

WHO reports that the number of polio cases has plummeted in the area by 99 percent – from 289 to three – in June 2010.
 

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