By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Keta (VR) Oct 17, GNA – The Health Directorate at Keta in the Volta Region has announced the commencement of polio vaccination for children under five years in the Municipality.
The move is to help curb the spread of polio disease and protect children in various communities against the sickness.
Madam Dora Kugbonu, Public Health Promotion Officer, at Keta, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), stated that it was a responsibility of all to help protect children from polio by prioritising the campaign.
“The Polio Vaccination campaign is commencing today, Thursday, and will end on October 20 and the vaccination is for children that are below five years,” she stated.
She noted that all children, who have previously received the polio vaccination would be required to have additional doses for a stronger immunity against polio that may cause a lifelong paralysis.
She said the health directorate have targeted about 14,730 children to be vaccinated against the disease within the first period whilst the second period of the vaccination was expected to be held from November 14 to 17 in the area.
“I urged all to get their children vaccinated against polio, it is just two drops, and our team would move from house to house and will be at other landmarks, which include schools, churches, mosques, markets among others to give doses to children.”
Madam Kugbonu stated that while polio had no cure, the vaccine had a proven track record of being safe and effective for millions of children worldwide and so all must embrace the immunization “since it was the only way to get children aged 0-5 years protected for polio free future.”
She charged parents and others to report any child under 15 years that would show any signs of sudden paralysis or limb weakness to the nearest health facility within 24 hours.
She appealed to the public to collaborate with the health team for a successful vaccination exercise, which would be held from 0600 hours to 1700 hours each day to help eradicate polio and other diseases in the area.
Madam Kugbonu also urged the public to wash their hands regularly under running water as well as use hand sanitisers always and keep good personal hygiene to protect families from sicknesses.
The GNA gathered that every individual, being an adult or a child is supposed to have at least five doses of polio vaccination in lifetime to protect the immune system.
GNA