Nigeria is the country most affected by polio on the African continent. Among polio variants, which mainly affect children under the age of 5, the most dangerous one is contagious wild polio. As the Nigerian citizens doubted the vaccine’s safety, they boycotted the polio vaccine in 2003. After which, the morbidity figures of Polio in Nigeria and 20 surrounding countries soared over the next five years. The tyranny of the Nigerian terrorist organization Boko Haram also disrupted public health care, making eradication seem impossible. However, in 2020, Africa finally succeeded in eradicating polio. The person who exerted the greatest influence was Tunji Funsho, a Nigerian cardiologist. Let’s find out how he protected African children from polio.

           On September 22^nd, 2020, Time announced Tunji Funsho as one of the most influential people of 2020. The world recognized his crucial role in the fight against wild polio in Africa. Eradicating an epidemic on a continent is not at all easy. Especially, in Africa, where it is hard to obtain vaccines due to economic conditions, and more than 70,000 cases occurred every year up to the mid-1990s. Until 2008, Africa accounted for about 50% of global polio cases. To fight against this severe disease, Tunji Funsho has served as the chairman of Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee of Rotary International[1] since 2013. He helped to supply millions of polio vaccines to Nigerian children and sponsored local health education associations. Tunji Funsho also organized encouraging campaigns with Isaac Adewole, Nigeria's Honorable Minister of Health, and the Inter-Agency Coordination Committee for Polio Eradication. Finally, on August 25^th, 2020, WHO officially announced the eradication of the wild poliovirus in Nigeria as well as the African continent, with no cases of polio in the region for four years. This declaration signifies an end to wild polio in five of WHO's six regions (Africa, America, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Western Pacific), which account for 90% of the world's population. Now the wild poliovirus only lives in two countries in South Asia: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Tunji Funsho said in an interview with Time, published on August 25^th, 2020, “The polio eradication program in Nigeria has gone through some difficult times, but I never once doubted that this day would come. Any time that we’ve experienced a setback, Rotary, and our partners have been able to find solutions and develop strategies for reaching vulnerable children.” Furthermore, he conveyed a hopeful message to the remaining countries, saying “One thing I know for certain is if Nigeria could eliminate the wild poliovirus, any country can eliminate it.”

           Tunji Funsho was at the forefront of polio eradication on the African continent, assuming various positions. Although polio is a disease that only occurs in infants, he did not neglect it. African children are now free from the risk of unknown infection thanks to him. CAU applauds Tunji Funsho, who deeply sympathized with the pain of children around him and worked hard for a long time.