The first two rounds of polio immunizations are being provided this month in Myanmar, buttressed by the World Health Organization (WHO) which is supporting the country’s launch of a massive vaccination campaign targeting 1.4 million children ages 5 and under.
“The challenge will be to reach every eligible child with a polio vaccination, especially those living in hard-to-reach and remote areas,” Dr. Rajendra Bohara, lead technical officer of the WHO Expanded Programme on Immunization, told Vaccine News Daily.
For instance, in northern Rakhine State and Chin State, there are “many accessibility problems, such as dirt roads or waterways, that require the use of boats,” Bohara said. “Good micro-planning will help in meeting these challenges and all partners in Rakhine have committed to support the campaign.”
The recent outbreak of the vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) was due to low routine polio vaccine coverage, Bohara said. (Courtesy of Vaccine News)
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