PM launches round seven of polio campaign

ROUND seven of the polio campaign involving rubella and measles vaccines has been launched by Prime Minister James Marape at Angau Memorial General Hospital in Lae.
The programme that started on Friday, will run through to the end of this month.
Marape visited the hospital to see the redevelopment work undertaken through a partnership by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Health Department, WHO and United Nations Children’s and Education Fund (Unicef).
While measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus and rubella is also a contagious viral infection that usually causes a mild fever and rash, Health Department secretary Pascoe Kase said the exercise was expensive and costing up to K100 million.
“It’s a big task,” he said.
Health and HIV/AIDS Minister Elias Kapavore said the country would contain the virus. “There’s no case reported in last seven months. We want to declare a polio-free country,” he said.
“WHO has supported us well in the campaign. It have supported us for the last two years.
“Since declaration of polio awareness last year, we have been able to contain polio for the last seven months. There’s no new case and we will continue to do this with support of our partners.”