The Ministry of Health with support from partners such as, Global Polio Eradication Initiative, WHO, UNICEF, CDC and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will embark on a polio vaccination campaign in the Gambia on Saturday, the second nationwide campaign to fight the disease.
The campaign, which is aimed at reaching over 382,908 children aged 0-59 months old across the country, will allow teams and social mobilizers to move from house-to-house, Early Childhood Development Centres, Nursery Schools, Market, Ferry crossing points, Health Centres and in strategic locations to vaccinate all eligible children, the Ministry of Health said.
According to the Ministry of Health, vaccinating children with Oral Polio Vaccine is the only proven strategy to break the chain of transmission of the virus among the population. “The vaccine in use is safe and effective as proven by WHO and partners. Therefore, vaccination remains a top priority in the Ministry of Health’s agenda, thus all children under the age of five years must be vaccinated for the country to maintain the polio free status.”
The Ministry therefore appeal to all families and caregivers, community leaders and religious leaders to ensure eligible children are vaccinated in their houses, communities, and any other public places.
