Polio drive relaunch in Nigeria

Most parts of Nigeria have embraced the vaccine programme

The World Health Organisation says it will re-launch a campaign to eradicate polio from Nigeria early next year.

Last month's inoculation programme was blocked when three northern Nigerian states suspended the campaign.

The states acted after an influential Islamic leader said the vaccines might cause cancer, Aids or sterility.

Who warns that if the campaign fails, polio will spread to Nigeria's neighbours setting back a 15-year campaign costing more than $3bn.

WHO polio eradication co-ordinator, Dr Bruce Aylward, told the BBC the new campaign would involve the Nigerian government at all levels.

A local Nigerian committee set up to investigate the safety of the immunisation programme is expected to give its verdict on Friday

Nigerian Vice-President Atiku Abubakar said the analysis was necessary to remove all doubts about the vaccines.

Take up was much lower than hoped in Nigeria during the vaccine campaign because of the controversy.

Assurances

Who insists that the vaccines were tested and are entirely safe.

This Nigerian child is now protected

Since WHO launched a worldwide drive to eradicate the virus in 1999, the number of countries with polio has fallen from 125 to seven.

The head of WHO's polio campaign, David Heymann, has told the BBC that the vaccines used in Nigeria are no different from those used to combat polio everywhere else in the world.

Nigeria has the world's highest number of cases.

Poliomyelitis is an acute viral infection which mainly affects children and can be spread by simple physical contact.

It causes permanent paralysis and other forms of physical disability in many of its victims.