urgent health initiative targets over 2 million children under five
The Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso, in partnership with UNICEF and the World Health Organization, has launched an extensive polio vaccination campaign across seven regions of the country. This critical health intervention aims to protect more than 2 million children under the age of five from the highly contagious poliovirus.
The initiative, which began on September 18, 2020, is scheduled to run through September 21, 2020, covering the Plateau Central, Centre, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, and Centre-Est regions. This follows the identification of a polio case in the Ouargaye health district earlier this year, prompting immediate localized vaccination efforts in the Centre-Est region.
covid-19 disruptions and renewed health threats
The campaign comes at a critical time as the country grapples with the dual challenges of polio resurgence and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. According to James Mugaju, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Burkina Faso, the pandemic led to temporary suspensions of routine vaccination services, resulting in increased cases of vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio.
In June 2020, the national disease surveillance system identified nine new polio cases and over 600 cases of acute flaccid paralysis, a condition often associated with polio. These alarming figures underscore the urgency of comprehensive vaccination efforts to curb further spread.
grassroots mobilization for maximum coverage
To ensure widespread protection, the campaign will deploy more than 5,000 health workers and community mobilizers who will conduct door-to-door vaccination drives. These teams will identify, sensitize, and immunize every child aged 0 to 59 months, administering a total of 2.29 million vaccine doses procured with support from UNICEF.
Health and safety measures remain a priority, with 39,500 masks and over 26,500 bottles of hand sanitizer distributed to vaccinators to prevent Covid-19 transmission during outreach activities.
collaboration and community engagement
UNICEF and the WHO have reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating polio in Burkina Faso. The organizations are calling on local authorities, community leaders, and parents to actively support the vaccination teams in their efforts to reach every child.
« Polio remains a significant threat to children’s health, and we must act decisively to remove this disease from our communities, » emphasized James Mugaju. « Despite the challenges posed by insecurity and the Covid-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to redouble our efforts to vaccinate every child and protect them from preventable diseases like polio. »
understanding the poliovirus threat
Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects young children. The virus spreads through contaminated food or water and can lead to irreversible paralysis. While Burkina Faso was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2015, the country is currently among 15 African nations experiencing outbreaks linked to other forms of the virus.
A second round of vaccination is planned for early October 2020, targeting nine regions: Plateau Central, Centre, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Centre-Est, Sahel, and Nord.
