Africa Regional Certification Commission Declares Africa Polio-Free

Africa has been declared free from wild polio by the independent body, the Africa Regional Certification Commission.

Polio which usually affects children under age five , sometimes lead to irreversible paralysis and death .

Twenty-five years ago,thousands of children in Africa were paralysed by the virus.

The disease is now only found in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

There is no cure but the polio vaccine protects children for life.

Nigeria is the last African country to be declared free from wild polio, having accounted for more than half of all global cases less than a decade ago.

BBC