Chimbu starts polio vaccination

CHIMBU has started polio vaccinations for children below the age of five.
Catholic Health Service disease control officer Peter Kelly said health workers from government health facilities and churches and non-government health institutions were jointly taking up the fight against the disease. “We have health teams from each district conducting vaccine immunisation,” Kelly said.
He said that although no polio cases had been reported in Chimbu, they were not taking any chances.
“Prevention is better than cure,” Kelly said. He urged parents to take their children for vaccination.
“This operation will end on Sunday Sept 9. All children under five must be brought for rapid polio vaccine immunisation,” he said. Children under five are at a high risk of contracting the polio virus.
“The disease caused by the polio virus has no treatment,” Kelly said.
“Once a child becomes paralysed, they cannot be treated.”
The rapid polio vaccine immunisation for children under five in Enga, Chimbu, Southern Highlands, Jiwaka, Western Highlands and Hela was launched in Enga on Monday by the health department, World Health Organisation and Unicef.