The Niger State government has solicited more support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to eradicate poliomyelitis and other diseases.

Governor Umaru Bago of Niger made the request in Minna when he received a delegation led by Jamal Ahmed, coordinator for Polio Eradication Initiative, WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Represented by his deputy, Yakubu Garba, the governor appealed to the organisation for increased funding to curb polio and other preventable diseases.

He explained that the assessment of the performance of the state in areas of public health would spur the government to do more in its activities.

Mr Bago added that funding was one of the major problems affecting the health sector.

“On counterpart funding, we met a huge debt of which we have been able to pay our entire part because health is our top priority.

“But like Oliver Twist, we need more funding from you to perform better, especially in the areas of surveillance, supplementary immunisation, capacity building and regular review meetings,’’ he said.

He thanked the organisation for its intervention in the state, which, according to him, had amounted to N1.1 billion during the period under review.

Earlier, Mr Ahmed said the team came to review progress made in eradicating the outbreak of variant polioviruses ravaging Niger State and affecting neighbouring states like Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto.

He commended the Niger state government for establishing a solid structure at the state, local, and ward levels.

Mr Ahmed added that Nigeria had made remarkable progress in reducing the new polio variant by 95 per cent.

(NAN)