Central African Republic, international partners roll out polio vaccination campaign
The government of the Central African Republic has embarked on a polio vaccination campaign in areas where cases of the virus were recorded in May.
The government organised a response after the first cases of poliovirus surfaced in the city of Bambari, at a site where internally displaced persons were located, and in Bimbo, near the capital Bangui.
With help from the World Health Organisation, United Nations agencies and other partners, the Ministry of Health implemented the first phase of a vaccination programme between June 17-20 to control the epidemic before the virus could spread quickly in affected areas.
The WHO said early reports indicated that immunization teams were able to access children living in the most troubled areas of the country, such as refugee camps, IDPs and conflict areas.
Polio, a virus that attacks the nervous system, can cause irreversible paralysis within hours of infection. It spreads in areas with poor sanitation. Children under the age of five are most vulnerable but it can be prevented through vaccination.
According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Polio is still endemic in three countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. The GPEI says, all countries remain at risk of importation of polio, more so vulnerable countries with weak public health and immunization services and travel or trade links to endemic countries.
