The World Health Organization said 116 million children are to receive polio vaccines in 13 countries in west and central Africa as part of efforts to eradicate the disease on the continent. “The synchronised vaccination campaign, one of the largest of its kind ever implemented in Africa, is part of urgent measures to permanently stop polio on the continent,” the WHO said. / AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI (Photo credit should read PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP/Getty Images)
South Sudan on Thursday commenced the rollout of its second dose of routine Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV2) among children with support from the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI).
A joint statement issued in Juba by the UN children’s fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and South Sudan’s Ministry of Health said the latest immunization campaign targets over 592,000 infants below nine months.
The IPV2 immunization will enable the protection of children from paralysis, as South Sudan remains at risk for importation of the wild poliovirus and other polioviruses as witnessed with the 58 confirmed cases following the recent outbreak of the circulating derived poliovirus.
“South Sudan will provide a second opportunity for infants to receive the injectable inactivated polio vaccine in the ongoing immunization program, such that all infants get two doses of IPV to protect them against the polioviruses,” said Elizabeth Achuei Yol, South Sudan’s minister of health.
The organizations said the second dose of this vaccine has been introduced to increase protection against all three types of polioviruses, adding that the two doses of IPV will ensure adequate protection against all strains of poliovirus.
At least an estimated 2.5 million children received their first IPV dose given to children at 14 weeks in 2015.
The vaccine will be given with other routine immunizations to strengthen children’s immune systems against all three types of polioviruses, including wild poliovirus and vaccine-derived.
“The introduction of the routine second dose of IPV will contribute to the reduction of paralysis due to the poliovirus,” said Fabian Ndenzako, WHO Representative in South Sudan.
UNICEF will support the ministry of health with cold chain equipment, supplies, last-mile delivery of vaccines, and also motivate parents to vaccinate their children against polio.
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