The World Health Organization (WHO) announced this Wednesday that it has carried out polio vaccination in all provinces of Angola due to the low level of immunity among Angolan children of 60%.
“Angola consistently eliminated poliovirus circulation in 2015, but analysis of vaccination coverage data against bivalent oral polio and inactive polio from 2022 to the first quarter of 2023 shows that childhood immunity to poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 is reduced. is currently low, estimated at less than 60%,” reads a statement sent to Lusa.
“Now is the time to act,” said WHO Representative in Angola Humphrey Caramagi, adding: “We all have a responsibility to support central and local governments in ensuring that our children under five are vaccinated and protected from paralysis.”
In two rounds of vaccinations carried out in September, more than 5.4 million children under four years of age were vaccinated across the country, in an effort that involved 38,000 health workers in nearly 8,500 vaccination teams.
“When a positive case is reported, 200 children around us are already infected; we cannot let our guard down, we must continue to vaccinate all children,” Expanded Program on Immunization coordinator Felismina Neto said as quoted in the statement.
Polio is a serious disease that can cause permanent paralysis. It is contracted, especially in developing countries, through water contaminated with human feces and mainly affects children under five years of age.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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