Over six million children will be immunized

27 February 2012, Luanda, Angola - Today UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, launched the three-day polio campaign in Viana municipality of Luanda the capital of Angola, aimed at vaccinating over six million children under five years of age Nation-wide.

Interruption of wild poliovirus transmission is the objective to be achieved in this campaign which will be held in all 18 provinces of Angola.

Welcoming the UN delegation, the Governor of the Luanda Province, Mr. Bento Bento, presented the Municipality of Viana as a developing area with about two million inhabitants. In addition, there is growing network of health centres to meet the demand of the population for primary health care needs. "Luanda hasn't reported any wild polio case since the November 2010, but we know that we do have to sustain current gains" the Governor said when speaking about the successful efforts to eradicate this disease.

In his remarks, the Minister of Health, Dr. José Van-Dunem, emphasized the strategy adopted by the Angolan Government to increase the involvement of local authorities and communities in the organization of immunization activities at local level, by ensuring that every house is reached by mobile teams and to conduct synchronized campaigns together with bordering countries. The Minister of Health praised the World Health Organization and other partners for the support provide to interrupt polio transmission in Angola.

Since 2011, Angola has been implementing a new strategy to accelerate the eradication of polio which consists of a greater ownership by provincial Governors, municipal Administrators, and local communities in immunization activities. The new approach also includes local recruitment of vaccinators and supervisors under the coordination of community leaders to ensure that every child is reached during the vaccination campaigns.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon launched the polio campaign by making a vigorous appeal to the Angolan families to ensure that every child under five years of age be vaccinated against polio to provide lifelong protection against this disease. "Polio should be tackled as a public health emergency," the UN secretary general said.

Ban Ki-Moon also pledged for sustainable solutions to improve the supply of drinking water and environmental health to mitigate the risk of water-borne diseases like polio, stressing that Angola leaders understand this priority.

"Efforts to eradicate polio in Angola are on track" he said while paying a tribute to the Government for funding 89% of current operational costs for polio eradication, with a high commitment of the Head of State Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

In Angola, the number of wild polio cases has drastically decreased from 33 in 18 municipalities, in 2010, to 5 cases in two municipalities in 2011.

Angolan Government with support of UN Agencies has developed a polio emergency plan to close the remaining gaps in 2012 and interrupt polio in Angola. As key strategies of the plan, Angolan authorities are fully committed to conduct high quality polio campaigns, intensive surveillance activities and ensure that all children are fully vaccinated through routine immunization. A particular focus will be on Luanda province and the high risk borders of neighbouring countries.

Issued by WHO Office in Angola

For further information please contact WHO Angola at - 
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