By Geoffrey Njoku LAGOS, Nigeria, 16 April 2010 – Nigeria recently joined 19 other countries in West and Central Africa in a synchronized campaign to immunize more than 85 million children under the age of five against polio.
UNICEF: Nigeria immunizes milions of children against polio 16 April 2010 - Nigeria recently joined 19 other countries in West and Central Africa in a synchronized campaign to immunize more than 85 million children under the age of five against polio.
Faced with the threat of an epidemic, the Togolese Government recently launched a national campaign against polio – one prong of a synchronized, eight-nation campainn in West Africa spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, and UNICEF.
A second one is scheduled to launch 27 August across four northern states, with the goal of reaching 4 million to 4.5 million children under 5. Chad, northern Cameroon, southern Niger, and parts of the Central African Republic will synchronize campaigns.
The new strategy for the African region includes the reintroduction of a mass, synchronized immunization campaign across 21 countries by early 2005 at the latest.
It is not the first time that Governments in the region and their partners coordinate simultaneous immunization campaigns, but at this scale - a campaign synchronized in 8 countries, it is a significant event.
First-ever synchronized polio campaign between Namibia, Angola and DR Congo ONDANGWA, Namibia, 28 June 2007 – When the gates at the border crossing on the Angola-Namibia border open, it's more than trade that can go rushing through.
Guinea and Mali are outside a ring of countries which conducted synchronized immunization campaigns in February and March, to try to limit the spread of polio from northern Nigeria and Niger.
A total of 23 countries have participated in at least two rounds of mass synchronized immunization campaigns so far this year, aiming to reach 100 million children in the world's largest ever coordinated public health event.
It is therefore critical that nationwide synchronized vaccination campaigns are conducted in these countries in order to rapidly control outbreaks.
They are supporting Africa's largest ever coordinated health initiative for children - 23 nations holding mass synchronized immunization campaigns with the goal of reaching over 80 million children under the age of five.
