The District medical officer for Bamenda held an Advocacy meeting with chief of Centers operating in the different health areas of this District, to prepare for the second round of Poliomyelitis Vaccination Campaign which is to run from November 03 to 05 2023.
During the advocacy meeting which held on the 1st of November 2023, Challenges faced by the various vaccination teams on the field were discussed. Amongst these challenges is the difficulty of accessing some children due to the fact that some head teachers, religious authorities and some school proprietors close their doors to these teams.
As compared to the previous years, there was a drop in the number of children vaccinated during the first phase of the vaccination campaign and the above reason could be seen as a contributing factor.
According to the World Health Organisation, some insight on Polio;
"Polio is a highly infectious disease, mostly affecting young children, that attacks the nervous system and can lead to spinal and respiratory paralysis, and in some cases death.
Many who survived the disease faced lifelong consequences. Deformed limbs meant they needed leg braces, crutches or wheelchairs, and some needed to use breathing devices like the iron lung, an artificial respirator invented for treatment of polio patients."
Priority for the 2nd phase of the Polio Vaccination, will amongst all other concerns focus on administering the Polio Vaccine to children who missed the Polio Vaccine during the first round and also help other children who have missed their vaccines to catch.
Targets will also be about accessing difficult areas in a quest to boost the immunity if kids living in these areas, who for one reason or the other, have not been able to have access to their vaccines.
The 2nd round of the Polio Campaign will leave no child behind.
Detailed by Bamenjo Petronilla