About 148,000 children in the newly created Oti region are being immunised against Polio to ensure the area is rid of the disease which is capable of destroying the lives of children.
The immunization which began last Wednesday, January 8 will last till Saturday, January 11, 2020 will cover children under age five in all eight districts of the Oti region.
The exercise which is described as a special Polio Vaccination Campaign is being undertaken by the Ghana Health Service with partnership from the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF and Red Cross.
The Deputy Regional Director of Health for Volta/Oti, Dr. Yaw Ofori Yeboah explained that the regional immunization exercise is in response to recent suspected cases recorded in parts of the country, including a case in November, 2019 in the Nkwanta North District of the Oti Region; involving an eight-year-old girl.
Following the recent cases and recommendation from experts after thorough assessment of the situation, a vaccination exercise was conducted in the Nkeanta North and South District from December 18 to December 21, 2020.
Dr. Ofori Yeboah indicated the decision to extend it to all the eight districts of the Oti region is to ensure the country maintains its Polio free status, particularly when some of our neighbours in West African countries (Cameroon, Nigeria, Togo and Benin) are recording cases. If we dont double our efforts, the gains made (eradication) may be reversed,” he stressed.
The Regional Coordinator for the Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI), Anthony Pani assured that adequate training for personnel, logistics and vaccines have been made available for a successful exercise.
He added that an Emergency Operational Center has been set up at Jasikan in to monitor and coordinate exercise.
Patience Baku, the Regional Health Promotion Officer indicated a variety of strategies including public education on radio, community information centers, schools, churches, mosques house to house among others have been intensifies to ensure every child (5 and below) is reached.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)