HIV contaminated polio vaccine fears allayed

NIGERIA: HIV contaminated polio vaccine fears allayed

JOHANNESBURG, 22 Jul 2004 (PLUSNEWS) - Officials in Nigeria's northern state of Kano earlier this week ended an eight-month boycott of polio vaccinations after tests showed that the vaccines were not contaminated with HIV.

A polio immunisation campaign by the World Health Organisation was stopped amid rumours that the vaccines were part of a US plan to spread HIV and infertility among Muslims.

In February the Nigerian government sent state and religious representatives to South Africa, Indonesia and India to observe testing of the vaccine and recently announced that results proved the vaccines were safe.

"Our government has accepted the report from the experts. We are satisfied with the report and have directed the commencement of the polio vaccination in the state. There was nothing religious or political in our argument," Reuters quoted Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau as saying.

[ENDS]

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