WHO and UNICEF are supporting the Ministry of Health to conduct a polio vaccination campaign in 102 townships across Myanmar, targeting 1.4 million children under 5 years of age,according to a joint press release on 30 November.
The campaign will start off in early December, with rounds of vaccination conducted across 15 high risks townships in Rakhine, Chin, Magway, Bago and Ayeyarwady.
According to the statement, “Earlier this year, two cases of vaccine-derived polio virus infection were reported amongst children in Maungdaw Township, Rakhine State. The emergence of such cases of vaccine-derived polio virus is due to low immunization coverage. In fact, the routine immunization coverage in Rakhine state has been below 80% for the last years. In 2014, in some of the State’s townships only 27% of children received the three recommended doses of oral polio vaccine.
The most effective way to stop the circulation of this virus is to increase the immunity of children through increased routine immunization coverage. Therefore, the first three rounds of this campaign - scheduled on 5-7 December, 26-28 December and 16-18 January - will target all children under five in these 15 high risk townships across the country. (Courtesy of Mizzima)
For more information - Visit here.
No comments:
Post a Comment