Polio continues to cripple and kill children in Nigeria

The tour led by Professor Umaru Shehu was for a duration of five days, from Sunday 10th December through 15th December 2006.

On arrival in Nigeria a post tour workshop was organized by EU-PRIME to disseminate and discuss lessons learnt from the fact finding trip as well as how to implement these lessons through the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in improving immunization

The EU-PRIME team leader Dr. Umar Abba told journalist at the post tour press briefing that the aim of the tour was to strengthen the understanding capacity of participants regarding immunization services and build critical mass of change agents as champions for immunizations in Nigeria, in the context of both routine immunization and the polio eradication initiative.

The coordinator of the post tour workshop and Executive Secretary of the Health Reform Foundation (HERFON) Dr. Ibrahim Oloriegbe explained at the press briefing why Egypt was selected. He said "Egypt is an African country with predominantly Muslims and it has a high concentration of Arabs. The country also has an effective health system and is currently free from polio after several challenges".

He further explained, that the tour was taken to increase participants understanding of the position of Islam on Immunization and Polio in particular, to provide participants the opportunity to discuss with Muslims scholars with a view to see Islam's position on immunization, to provide participants the opportunity to understand the Role of Muslims, leaders and Priest on immunization in Egypt, to provide participants opportunity to discussed with Islamic scholars on the positions of the Muslim world on immunization and above all to encourage participants to become champions and advocate for routine immunization services in their states and in Nigeria.

In a statement made available by Oloriegbe on the overview of issues and the position of Islam on Immunization, shows that Islam teaches prevention as contained in the "Principle of preservation of five mile stone" - Religion, self, race, intellect and money. That "An able bodied believer is close to Allah than a poorly built one (H). On the views of scholars on misconception according to the statement, the vaccinations do not reduce fertility in women and men, the vaccination is not harmful to malnourished and underweight children, the vaccination may be given at any age and many antigens that are compatible may be given same day .

The Emir of Gombe, HRH Abubakar Alhaji Usman Shehu openly admitted to journalist that he went on the tour as a "Doubting Thomas" but came back convinced that the Oral Polio Vaccine(OPV) is genuine and good enough for consumption. He explained said "after thorough questioning, we believe the vaccines are safe and are meant to eradicate the phase of the disease from the world. One of the scholars we met in Egypt told stated empathically that Sharia accepts immunization, because we are expected to be healthy". He asked rhetorically, " that if other Muslim countries have eradicated polio why can't we join th

Assessing the much talked about controversy about the OPV made from kidney of monkey, the Secretary- General of Jammaat Nasir Imam Hon. Justice Orire Abdulkadir said "OPV made from monkeys are not halal for Muslims".

Speaking on the publication at the back page of Daily Trust Newspapers published on Wednesday, January 31 written by Odoh Diego Okenyodo, His Royal Highness the Emir of Shonga and Chairman of HERFON, Dr. Haliru Yahaya criticized the publication and called on journalist to conduct extensive research, cross check facts and update the facts before writing. He also disclosed that National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) approves the OPV and has certified its potency and the writer could have cross checked that before his write up.

In a collective report compiled by the Forum for Traditional Leaders, NPI, EU-PRIME, and HERFON made available to the members of the press at the end of the press briefing, shows that during the meetings with the scholars, ministry of health and development partners, the team discussed key issues affecting immunization uptake and coverage in Nigeria and explored the medical and Islamic perspectives on these issues.

The issues discussed include the Islamic view on immunization, safety of OPV vaccines and the role of traditional and religious leaders in effective programme communication and mobilization in Nigeria.

According to the report, based on the discussion and experienced shared the team concluded that from the religious and spiritual perspective, immunization is halal in Islam based on the teaching of the Qur'an and the Hadith. They quoted one of the Hadiths (traditions) of the Prophet that constitute a fundamental rule on which the Islamic jurisprudence is built:

"Harm not yourself or others" i.e. according to Shari'a, one has to avoid all that may cause harm to oneself or others".

The report further indicated that the vaccine is safe and free from contamination. The OPV vaccine used in Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, is of the same high quality world wide. It is the same that was used in USA, UK, France, Turkey and other countries. There is no evidence to support opinions that is used to control population of countries of the Muslim world.

On one of the major issues raised by some Muslims in Nigeria that the OPV was made from monkey tissue and it renders it haram to Muslims. The report clarify that according to the Grand Mufti of Al Azhar University, where the vaccines are produced using monkey tissues, the tissues undergo a process of transformation that makes it halal because the chemical components changed in the process.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report made available to the team, at the time of adoption of polio eradication target 1988, there were 350,000 polio cases every year and 125 countries were endemic for polio. In 2006, cases in endemic countries are at 2000 a year i.e. it has decreased by 99 per cent, with only four countries namely Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan and nine re-infected countries.

The WHO report further showed that five million children were save from paralysis, using more than ten billion doses to vaccinate more than one billion children and no side effects were reported in all those periods. It further showed that the disease is now endemic in Muslim countries and in India the states affected are those with majority of Muslims.

In addition WHO verifies that manufactures of the OPV used in the Global polio eradication initiative meets international specifications. According to WHO, several Fatwas were issued by Muslim Scholars including the Grand Imam of El Azhar Al Sharif, the International Union of Muslim Scholars, the Mufti of Egypt and religious Scholars in Pakistan.

The WHO report also shows that Dr.Youssouf Al Qaradawi, Chairman, European Council for Fatwa and Research, member of High Assembly of the World Muslim League together with a number of scholars from Pakistan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and many others sent a letter to the WHO/RD reaffirming religious ruling of the necessity to vaccinate children against polio to prevent their death or incapacitation. These Fatwas were translated to local languages of Muslim countries not speaking Arabic. According to them all the Fatwas made it clear that parents will be committing a major sin if they do not protect their children against polio by vaccinating them.

On the way forward in addressing immunization issues in Nigeria, the members of team agreed to consolidate their support to immunization programmes based on best practices and lessons learnt, communicate these best practices and lessons learnt from the missions to various stakeholders, which includes the Jama'atul Nasir Islam (JNI), the Forum of Traditional and Religious Leaders, the National Programme on Immunization, the State Ministries of Health and the Primary Health Care Departments of the Local Governments Authorities. The team also intends to develop through JNI, clear and appropriate message on immunization addressing the common misconceptions in Nigeria, incorporate lessons learnt into current policy e.g. involvement of religious and traditional leaders into program strategic development committees and working groups. They are also willing to serve as change agents that will champion the cause of immunization and child health in their respective domains.

While on the tour the team had meetings with renowned Islamic scholars from Al Azhar University, Internationals Islamic Centre for Religion and Population, medical experts from the university, the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, The World Health Organization and UNICEF.

The team had five traditional rulers from Gombe, Zamfara. Katsina, Kwara and Kebbi States. Four religious leaders from Kano, Bauchi and Kebbi States. Others include the Chairman of the Forum of Traditional and Religious Leaders (Polio Ambassador), Chairmen of NPI and HRFON, five staff of NPI and its technical partners, EU-PRIME, HERFON and UNICEF.