Fight Against Polio: Nine Million Children To Be Vaccinated

A campaign to vaccinate more than 9 million children against polio has been launched across four countries in the South and East Africa. The urgent vaccination campaign that kicked-off in Malawi on Sunday, saw drops of the inoculation being placed in the mouths of children across the country, including in the capital, Lilongwe, and the country's largest city, Blantyre. UNICEF officials who are working with governments and other partners say, the vaccination campaign will be expanded to include the neighboring countries of Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. Three more rounds of vaccinations will follow in the coming months with a goal of reaching more than 20 million children.

Speaking to reporters during the launch, Mr Mohamed M. Fall, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa said, “It is the first time the wild polio is detected in Africa for more than five years and UNICEF is working closely with governments and partners to do everything possible to stop the virus in its tracks. People do commonly contract polio when they drink water contaminated by the feces of someone who carries the virus. Children under the age of five and those living in areas with poor sanitation are most at risk. There is no cure for polio, but the vaccine protects children for life.” Mohamed M. Fall reiterated.

UNICEF has procured more than 36 million doses of the polio vaccine for the first two rounds of the immunizations of children in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. In Malawi, UNICEF is installing 270 new vaccine refrigerators, repairing other refrigerators and distributing 800 remote temperature monitoring devices, vaccine carriers and cold boxes. In partnership with WHO, UNICEF has trained 13,500 health workers and volunteers, 34 district ...