Anti-polio campaigns kick off [Archives:2007/1042/Local News]

SANA'A, April, 15 ) The Ministry of Public Health and Population has began today a three-day vaccination campaign against polio in Sana'a, Taiz, Baiadha ,Aljawf Sada'a, Marib, and Shabwa Governorates. The campaign aims at vaccinating children below five years old against poliovirus. Also, it comes as a part of the house- to – house immunization strategy which is arising to provide 90% coverage ratio in the targeted areas.

According to Ministry of Heath, the last polio case was registered in February 2006. It also points out that Yemen is close to reach the international declaration of polio virus elimination through the extended immunization program that is currently carried out.

Dr Hussein .Al – Gezairy, regional director of WHO Eastern Mediterranean region,

expressed last the Wednesday the readiness of the organization to support and cooperate with the government to enhance the organizations that support such programs especially the polio eradication national program and to help Yemen get the international declaration of the virus elimination. In addition, he confirmed that Yemen has become qualified to receive financial awards for its effort to improve the information system of the extended immunization Program that was carried out in 2006. Futher, he indicated that the program has reached 99.9 percent of data preciseness with relation to anti- polio immunization campaigns.

As a matter of fact, in March, 2006, Yemen has received an amount of $2.306.000 provided by the international vaccinations alliance for its achievement in this the field of extended immunization against polio and measles and the results of last year's campaigns which vaccinated 2'300'000 children against polio and 9'5 million children against measles are encouraging.

On the other hand Shara'ab 14th October police station in Taiz Gov.' seized a big quantity of vaccines and drugs and detained the immunization personnel in Al -Taizia District, west of Taiz, while they were conducting an immunization campaign on children below one years in that area.

Abdullah Ali, the head of the district and chairman of the local council, and Ali Sadig sent a notification to the general director of health office in Taiz, asking the involved bodies in the governorate to consider the issue and deal with the police station officials according to the law .”The police station staff seized the children's vaccine and detained the immunization personnel while they were performing their national duties in the area' said the notification adding that this attitude will lead to the expiry of the vaccine due to the inappropriate storing and exposure to heat.
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