WHO hails anti-polio measures

Conflict-affected countries in central Africa have joined forces to immunise every child under five against polio, in an unprecedented alliance against the crippling disease, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on Thursday. The immunisation activities involve close coordination between Angola, Congo, the DRC and Gabon where health workers aim to immunise 16 million children in just five days. “Your efforts are leading us to a historical milestone in international public health - the global eradication of the polio virus,” said WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland at the launching ceremony in Kinshasa. “Your success in the coming days in reaching every child with oral polio vaccine will be key in stopping transmission of this virus on the African continent, and around the world.” “We know from experience that by synchronising NIDs [National Immunisation Days], many, many more children can be protected with polio vaccine,” said Rima Salah of UNICEF. “Now we ask that health workers be given safe passage to reach each one of these children, wherever they live, in the coming days. Accessing children previously unreached by vaccination teams increases the possibilities of access to other health services.” As there is no cure for polio, the best treatment is preventive. A few drops of a powerful vaccine, given multiple times, protects a child for life, WHO pointed out.

[See also separate IRIN story of 5 July headlined “DRC: Anti-polio campaign kicks off”]