Polio is preventable with simple vaccination – vaccines are available and free" South Kordofan and Blue Nile states are of particular concern, as no polio vaccination programmes have been undertaken in several localities since the military conflict between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People Liberation Movement – Northern sector began in 2011.
The recommendations include introduction of one inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (IPV) dose in the regular child immunization programme along with reductions in oral polio vaccine (OPV) doses in supplemental programmes.
We assumed that administration of the vaccine would be piggybacked on the existing WHO expanded programme on immunisation and given concomitantly with other routine vaccinations, including oral polio vaccine.
Kristine Hamalwa, who supervises the cross-border immunization programme, said that children under age 5 receive various vaccinations including an oral polio vaccine, and women between 15 to 49 years of age are vaccinated against tetanus.
According to Mr. Flamigni, the programme is using a polio vaccine drive as a springboard with an eye to covering other diseases such as measles, meningitis and cholera – all major public health concerns in Chad.
When the trial started in July 2002 the vaccination programme in Guinea-Bissau comprised BCG and oral polio vaccine at birth; DTP and oral polio vaccine at age 6, 10, and 14 weeks; measles vaccine at 9 months; and booster doses of DTP and oral polio vaccine at 18 months.
More than 450,000 Somali children born each year should receive one dose of the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), as part of the routine immunization programme.
A Nigerian baby receives the oral polio vaccine from a house-to-house polio vaccination team.
This is despite the Pakistan Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) which provides BCG, DPT, polio vaccine, and measles vaccine during the first year of a child's life.
These children will be given polio vaccine at health centres which are gearing up to support a sustainable routine immunization programme.
