His Excellency the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, launched a Presidential Task Force last week to oversee implementation of the national polio emergency action plan.

He emphasized the urgency, and a strong commitment, to complete the goal of polio eradication as rapidly as possible. He also pledged financial commitments from Nigeria of US$30 million per year for polio eradication activities.

"Nigeria is still a sanctuary of wild polio and we are becoming a threat to other countries," he said at the official launching of the Task Force. "It is quite embarrassing especially considering the fact that polio is a disease that we can conveniently eradicate."