South Sudan Aims to Vaccinate 3.4 Million Children in New Polio Immunization Initiative
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Synopsis
On February 13, 2023, South Sudan, in collaboration with UN agencies, started its fourth polio vaccination campaign, aiming to immunize 3.47 million children aged 0-59 months. This initiative is critical in combating poliomyelitis outbreaks across the nation.
Key Takeaways
- Campaign targets 3.47 million children.
- Focus on eliminating poliomyelitis transmission.
- Collaboration with WHO and UNICEF.
- 36 cases of cVDPV2 reported.
- Emphasis on reaching remote communities.
Juba, Feb 13 (NationPress) In collaboration with United Nations agencies, South Sudan has initiated the fourth phase of its polio vaccination drive, targeting to immunize 3.47 million children aged between 0 and 59 months.
On Wednesday, Harriet Pasquale Akello, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, emphasized that the campaign's objective is to eradicate the transmission of poliomyelitis (polio) among the nation's children.
"Given our country's difficult circumstances, we encourage everyone to take advantage of this initiative. Every child under five must be administered oral polio vaccines. Our aim is to halt the transmission of poliomyelitis," Akello stated in a joint announcement made in Juba, South Sudan's capital.
This campaign, led by South Sudan's Ministry of Health with assistance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), follows the recent report of 36 cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) across eight counties in the nation.
Humphrey Karamagi, the WHO Representative for South Sudan, remarked that this immunization campaign is a vital measure in the fight against polio, a disease that no child should ever encounter, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
"This initiative is a pivotal move towards eliminating the outbreak and protecting every child from this crippling illness. Since no child is safe until all are safeguarded, we are enhancing the cold chain system to ensure the vaccines remain effective, rallying communities, and empowering health workers to reach even the most isolated regions," stated Obia Achieng, deputy representative of UNICEF.
In December 2023, South Sudan declared a public health state of emergency following the identification of a cVDPV2 outbreak. This fourth round marks the first of three national polio vaccination phases that the country is set to conduct in February, April, and November 2024.
The WHO describes Poliomyelitis as a highly contagious viral illness that primarily impacts children under 5 years old. The virus spreads mainly through person-to-person contact via the faecal-oral route or, less commonly, through contaminated food or water, multiplying in the intestines where it can invade the nervous system and lead to paralysis.
