The Ministry of Health (MoH), through the Ghana Health Service (GHS), will begin this year’s sub-national immunisation against polio tomorrow and end on Saturday, October 24, 2015.
The three-day national programme, which coincides with the 50th vaccination campaign in the country, is targeted at children below the age of five.
This year’s event will be held under the theme ‘Kick polio out of Ghana for good life; vaccinate your child.’
At the national launch of the event yesterday, Dr George Bonsu of GHS said they are targeting about 108 districts in the country, with the hope of immunising about 2.9 million children.
He said almost 22,000 volunteers will move from house to house to immunise all children from birth to five years against polio.
He stressed that the polio vaccine is safe and free, and would be dropped in the mouth, adding the doses to be administered are additional doses every child should receive even if he/she has been immunised already.
Dr Bonsu noted that since the beginning of the national immunisation in October 1996, about 196,320,587 doses of vaccines have been administered.
He also mentioned that about 13 million children have been saved from paralyses through vaccination.
He said eradication of polio in Ghana can at least save the country about $40-$50 million over the next 20 years, and if successful, no child will suffer from polio.
Acting Chief Director of MoH, Dr Afiza Zakariah urged parents to wash their hands with soap before handling their baby and also keep their environment clean, as well as maintain good personal hygiene.
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