Niger state halts polio shots

2004-02-24 14:11

Kano - The central Nigerian state of Niger Tuesday suspended a polio vaccination programme as the exercise entered its second day in Africa's most populous country, a spokesman said.

"The state government has announced the suspension of the polio vaccination pending a meeting to be held by the executive council of the state before the end of the week. The outcome of that meeting will be made public," government spokesman Mahmoud Abdullahi said.

The World Health Organisation's (WHO) latest effort, which began in Nigeria on Monday, was to immunise 63 million African children against the virus in 10 countries.

But already three northern states in Nigeria - Bauchi, Kano and Zamfara - where the disease is endemic, held out as they awaited the results of last-minute tests on the widely used drugs.

This follows allegations that the polio vaccine was contaminated with an anti-fertility agent aimed at making women infertile.

- AFP