National polio campaign deferred

The second round of polio vaccination in RoC was carried out between 29 September and 4 October, achieving “excellent coverage” generally. However, the third round scheduled for the end of October was postponed indefinitely when the national health authorities “invoked a lack of preparedness as the cause of the delay”, OCHA stated in its October situation report for the country. The second round campaign achieved 106 percent coverage - vaccination campaigns in developing countries frequently uncover more children in the target age than expected - though coverage was lower in the capital Brazzaville and in Niari, the report said. Notwithstanding the authorities’ delay of the third round, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had conducted the vaccination in the southern regions of Niari and Pool, which were among the most heavily affected by the country’s civil war.