Mick Hartley

From the BBC:

A four-fold increase in polio has been reported in Nigeria, with the disease spreading to other countries, a World Health Organisation official says.

Forty-three cases were reported in Nigeria this year, compared to 11 last year, the official, Thomas Moran, said.

Curbing the polio virus in Nigeria is key to eradicating the crippling disease in Africa, he said.

In 2003, northern Nigeria's Muslim leaders leaders opposed vaccinations, claiming they could cause infertility.

Nigeria is one of four countries in the world – along with Pakistan, India and Afghanistan – where polio is still a major health risk.

Mr Moran told the BBC the disease had also spread to neighbouring Niger, Mali and Ivory Coast.

"The success of polio eradication in Africa rests on Nigeria interrupting the virus," he said….

In 2003, the northern Nigerian state of Kano backed Muslim religious leaders in opposing an immunisation programme, claiming it was a Western plot to make people infertile.

Health experts say this led to many people becoming infected by polio.

The clerics and the state government later dropped their opposition to the immunisation programme.

Some clerics may have dropped their opposition, but the increasing activities of Boko Haram (which translates as "Western education is a sin") suggest the problem in northern Nigeria is going to get worse. Especially if politicians are involved.