Polio vaccinations are to resume in northern Nigeria this week, ending an 11-month suspension of immunization that sparked a polio outbreak in Africa.

The World Health Organization has been notified by Nigeria's federal minister of health that a polio immunization campaign will be conducted in the northern state of Kano, says David Heymann, a WHO director. Set to begin by Saturday, the program will aim to immunize more than 4 million at-risk children.

Immunizations were halted in Kano last August after rumors were circulated by local clerics and on the Internet that the vaccine could cause sterility in girls. Soon after the boycott began, polio cases began to increase in Nigeria and spread to neighboring countries, including 10 that previously had been free of the paralyzing disease. WHO reports 440 cases of polio in 13 countries as of July 21. Of these, 346 were in Nigeria.

By the end of June, international health officials were expressing concern that the effort to eliminate polio from every country by the end of this year could be in jeopardy.

Repeated scientific tests convinced Kano leaders that the vaccine is safe. The governor reportedly will demonstrate his confidence by having his own 2-month-old daughter vaccinated.

Claire Hajaj of UNICEF, which provides vaccine, says the Kano immunizations, followed by a major push to vaccinate 74 million children in 22 African counties in October and November, could bring an end to polio.

"This is the time to nail it," she says.

Source: Agencies