Kananga, March 16th, 2023 (AC P) – 1,738,042 (one million seven hundred and thirty-eight thousand and forty-two children) aged between 0 and 59 months are targeted for the polio vaccination campaign in the twenty-six health zones of the province of Kasai Central , in DRC, CPA learnt on Tuesday from the provincial co-ordination of the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI) in Kananga.
« This campaign planned from March 16th to 18th, 2023 through the door-to-door strategy as well as special strategies with recovery of children during routine immunisation, will enable them to be immunised against the poliomyelitis virus which kills and disables the child throughout his or her life, » says an EPI information note.
The EPI invites the parents of children concerned by this vaccine to keep them at home to be vaccinated.
The campaign, which concerns only eleven provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.
Sankuru: 527,111 children expected to be vaccinated against polio
In the same manner, the polio vaccination campaign during which 527,111 children aged 0 to 5 years are targeted in the 16 health zones of Sankuru province was launched on Wednesday at the central market roundabout of Lodja by the provincial Minister in charge of health, Dr Tony Elonge Otshudi.
Speaking on the occasion, the head of the provincial health division, Dr. Aime Alengo Odudu, praised the involvement of the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, who is fighting for peace throughout the national territory, and without whom, according to him, this response would not be possible.
For the success of this vaccination campaign against polio in the province, it is necessary a total involvement and commitment of the population of Sankuru, said doctor division head.
« The province of Sankuru is exposed by the polio epidemic derived from the vaccine strain in the neighbouring province of Maniema. In addition, the circulation of Cvdpv2 and Cvdpv1 has been confirmed since September 2022, » warned the head of the Sankuru provincial executive, Me Jules Lodi Emongo. CPA/
