Sierra Leone News: Since 2010 No Reported Case of Polio - UNICEF

As Sierra Leone joined the rest of the world on 24th October to commemorate World Polio Day, Government and its partners will conduct the 4th round of polio campaign for this year.

In a media briefing, organised by the Program Unit for child health immunization in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, it was reported that over 5,000 persons are living with disability in the country, despite the continuous public education and immunization campaigns.

According to the UNICEF representative on immunization, since Government and its partners stepped up polio campaign as well as routine vaccination in the country, there has been no reported case of the virus since 2010, which is a sign that Sierra Leone has made progress over the years to reduce the virus.

He disclosed that over 1.6 doses of vaccines have been procured for the 4th round of campaign, which should start on the 28th- 31st of October, 2016, and will target 1.5 million, under-fives around the country.

Also defaulter tracing for all children less than 2 years will be carried out.
Program Manager on child health immunization, Dr Dennis Marke stated that since the start of this year Government and its partners conducted three polio campaigns, reaching a target population of 95% and hope to reach 98% coverage during this 4th round.

He advised mothers and communities to welcome health workers when the campaign will start and not to refuse children from taking the polio vaccine, noting that polio marklate is the only way to protect children from getting the virus, which most times is related to witchcraft by some parents who have mistrust in the health system.

Dr Marke said the more polio marklate a child receives, the child will be protected and immune against the virus as he/she grows.
He added that a parent who has mistrust in the health system is putting the child at risk, but the more polio marklate a child receives, the more protected the child will be, even when the child is sick.

Dr Dennis Marke furthered that another critical aspect of the campaign is advocacy and public education, to increase the level of awareness in communities at all levels of which, civil society and Focus 1,000, will play an active role.

Health Education, Program Manager, Lansana Conteh commended media practitioners for their contribution in assisting the Health Ministry to disseminate vital and useful information about the dangers of the polio virus, which is caused by lack of proper hygiene and sanitation in the home and communities.

He said public education has increased the knowledge about the disease, but there are still some people who have mistrust in the health system, and these are the target who need to change their mind set and face reality that polio is real, but a lifetime paralysis, can be avoided through oral vaccine immunization to protect a child.


Culled Awoko