Investigations by health authorities has revealed that the polio cases identified in the Eastern Region is similar to a strain currently detected in Algeria.
Although the source of the virus is not known, health authorities are activating processes to rollout a mass polio vaccination campaign within the country with plans of synchronizing the efforts with neighboring countries.
The Ministry of Health declared a public health emergency following the detection of a circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus in a river in Koforidua on September 19. Following the declaration, there have been a wide range of heightened surveillance by health authorities to identify the source of the virus. Currently, aside the environmental surveillance, human surveillance is also underway among children with acute paralysis.
About 5.5million Children under five are to be reached for the immunization exercise scheduled for the next three weeks.
The exercise, which seeks to break the transmission of the virus in the country, will be done in two rounds with the second round expected to be done alongside some identified neighboring countries to synchronize efforts since the virus appears to be circulating within the sub-region.
Programme Manager for the Expanded Programme on Immunization, Dr. Kwame Amponsa- Achiano in an interview with 3news’Sarah Apenkroh said, although the source of the virus is not known, efforts are being intensified to tackle it like an outbreak.
He said: “I know the Director General’s office has also issued the updates to the regions, so the regional level, district level, should be aware by now. Again, when this happens, we need to do some rounds of polio vaccination exercise. So, we are planning to do that in October, towards the middle part of October, maybe the third.
We usually do it for four days. So somewhere around 17th or a week after we do the first round, it’s usually a minimum of two rounds of campaign, and then we’ll do the second one in November. And we are likely to synchronize with some countries in the sub region, because, as I told you, this has taken on an international dimension because of the linking to Algeria, the Nigerian stream.”
He further noted that processes have already been activated for vaccines from development partners.
“This one is linked to Algeria. I mean, it’s even crossed international borders already, and therefore it cannot be a sub national campaign, but sub regional campaign, meaning Ghana plus other countries. And that is why I was saying that it will be national and synchronizing at least two that’s what I’m aware of.
Usually, when you are preparing for first round, you do yours as early as possible. But the second round, you try and link up or synchronize with other countries that may be at risk or would also be under army. We have already started the processes and so the vaccines should be in by close of the week. you know we are already doing some campaigns so that one will continue”. He explained
Meanwhile routine vaccination of all children against childhood killer diseases continues at various health centres.
