Polio campaign launched

A campaign to sensitise the public about polio eradication was launched on Sunday in Tubmanburg, Bomi County, the National Coordinator of the National Immunisation Days (NIDs) told IRIN. Social mobilisation activities preparing the population for vaccination will last until 15 January, Dr Abebu Hiedala said on Tuesday, “while the actual vaccination will take place over two days in each of the following months, January, February and March”. Parents will be encouraged to take their children to local sites, health centres, churches or markets, as designated by the county health officer. All children under the age of five are targeted for vaccination and some 700,000 are expected to receive the vaccine in the first three months of the year. Non-governmental organisations will provide logistical support such as fuel and vehicles, while employees will also be seconded as volunteers to help carry out the programme, he said. In 1988 the World Health Assembly established a target to eradicate polio worldwide by the year 2000. Partners include the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and Rotary International. Liberia joined the global polio eradication project in 1998 and in January this year, Hiedala said, vaccinated some 650,000 children.