Tabular Representation of Polio Cases in West Africa

Explanation 

The table below represents the changes in polio cases experienced in West African Countries in 2008 and 2009. According to the data presented, Nigeria had the highest number of cases in both 2008 and 2009, representing a percentage of 99.13% from the total 805 cases experienced in 2008 and 82% of polio cases in 2009 from the total 472 cases experienced in the same year. The total percentage change of cases in Nigeria between 2008 and 2009 is 51.3%, which implies that polio vaccines must have been disseminated intensively in Nigerian clinics and through government sponsored door-to-door campaigns, to warrant such a high reduction in polio cases in the West African country. Cote d’Ivore had 1 case in 2008 representing 0.12% of the total polio cases in Western African during the year, and 26 cases in 2009, which signifies a percentage total of 5.56% of polio cases recorded in selected Western African countries during the year mentioned above. 

Similarly, Benin had 6 cases in 2008, which represents a percentage total of 0.74% of polio cases identified in the Western African countries mentioned above during the selected year, and 20 cases in 2009 representing 4.23% of all polio cases recorded in the selected Western African countries during the year mentioned above. Further, Mauritania had 0 cases in 2008 which represents 0% of all polio cases diagnosed in the aforementioned countries during the year, while in 2009, Mauritania had 13 cases representing 2.75% of polio cases diagnosed in the country during the year mentioned above. Likewise, Sierra Leone had 0 cases in 2008 representing 0% of all recorded polio cases in selected Western African countries mentioned above during the year, while in 2009; Sierra Leone had 11 cases, which represents 2.33% of the total population with the disease in the selected Western African countries during the year. Furthermore, Liberia had 0 cases in 2008 representing 0% of the total polio cases in the mentioned Western African countries during the year, while in 2009; it had 11 cases, which represents 2.33% of the total diagnosed cases during the year. Lastly, Cameroon had 0 cases in 2008 representing 0% of all diagnosed polio cases in the Western countries mentioned above during the year, while it had 3 cases in 2009, which represents 0.63% of all polio cases in Western Africa in the year mentioned above. 

Generally, Nigeria had the highest percentage of cases in Western Africa in 2008 and 2009, while Cameroon had the lowest number of polio cases diagnosed during both years mentioned above. Sierra Leona and Liberia had similar case percentages in 2008 and 2009, while Cote d’Ivore, Benin, and Mauritania had unique polio cases in both years mentioned above. However, Nigeria improved the most, having a 50% reduction in the cases recorded of polio, while Cote d’Ivore appears to have ignored the importance of polio vaccines, as evinced by the high increase in polio cases in the nation. Overall, all the Western African countries appear to have achieved the 99% global reduction of polio cases milestone, considering Nigeria’s large population compared to the rest of the nations listed in the table above.