PNG can beat polio again, says WHO

PAPUA New Guinea has beaten polio before and it can do it again if everyone works together, says World Health Organisation (PNG office) technical officer Dr James Wangi.
He said PNG had been polio-free since 2000 but polio returned and children had to be protected.
The target is to treat 700,110 children in Morobe, Madang, Eastern Highlands, Enga, Western Highlands, Southern Highlands, Hela, Jiwaka and Chimbu.
“This vaccination campaign is just the first of the multiple rounds of vaccination planned. In September and October we will do the vaccination for the entire country,” he said.
“Polio is a highly infectious disease. It spreads rapidly with population movements. All children under the age of five are at high risk. It causes permanent paralysis and there is no cure.
“Vaccination is the only weapon we have against polio.”
The Health department is involving 4964 polio workers in 49 districts.
Wangi said that at Enga, Chimbu, Southern Highlands, Western Highlands, Jiwaka and Hela, the polio vaccination campaign was launched on Monday.