By: Arret Jatta
Following the declaration of Polio virus outbreak in the country on 11th July 2024, the Ministry of Health with support from Global Polio Eradication Initiative, World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF, On Thursday 7th November, engaged relevant stakeholders on the National Polio Vaccination Campaign scheduled for 12th -15th November, 2024.
The national Polio vaccination campaign is in line with the WHO recommendation, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for polio outbreak response and the international health regulation.
The vaccination will target all children aged 0-59 months old across the country.
The vaccination teams and social mobilizers will be moving house- to- house, schools, market, ferry crossing points, garages, health centers, border entry points and in strategic locations.
Speaking at the stakeholder engagement on Thursday at theSir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center, Yankuba Saho, Nutrition Specialist of UNICEF, said the success of this campaign relies on the active engagement of stakeholders at every level, from local communities to government agencies and international allies.
“To ensure that all 426,477 eligible children are vaccinated, the commitment of all stakeholders is essential to make this campaign effective, accessible, and impactful,” Mr Saho said.
He added that UNICEF believes in promoting strong partnerships.
“We can overcome barriers to vaccination, particularly for children in hard-to-reach areas. From health workers to community mobilizers, each partner plays acritical role in helping us reach every family with life-saving vaccines,” he underscored.
He pointed out that to ensure a successful polio campaign, they will need the efforts of community and religious leaders.
“Their voices carry immense influence, helping to build trust, dispel myths, and encourage vaccination within their communities. We are grateful for their support and for their ongoing work to address hesitancy and misinformation. Through open dialogue and mutual respect, we can ensure that families feel confident in bringing their children forward for vaccination,” he stated.
Mr. Saho appealed to all parents, caregivers, and community members to participate in this coming campaign by welcoming health workers and bringing their children for vaccination.
“Their role is vital in achieving high coverage rates and ensuring the health and safety of all children,” he added.
Sidat Fofana, Program Manager for the Expanded Program on Immunization, highlighted that The Gambia is fortunate to not register polio since 1986 which, he described, as a remarkable achievement.
He, however, said when they install their environmental surveillance, they started picking CDBD, which is not polio per se thus it is found in the environment.
“Which is why we decided to embark on this campaign to strengthen the immune system of the children as the virus is spreading in the sub-region,” he explained.
He also called on the guardians and the community to allow the children get vaccinated to ensure the country stay free from polio.
Dr. Ifeanyi Livinus Udenweze, WHO Emergency Team Leader, gave assurance of their continuous support to make sure children and all citizens are free from all sorts of illnesses.
