Health News of Sunday, 8 September 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

Greater Accra, Northern regions to embark on emergency polio immunisation

The second phase is expected to begin from 25th to 28th the same month The second phase is expected to begin from 25th to 28th the same month

The Greater Accra and the Northern Regions are set to embark on a two-phased emergency polio immunisation exercise from September 11 to 14 2019.

The second phase is expected to begin from 25th to 28th the same month.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, the Kpone Katamanso Municipal Health Director, Rita Frimpong Amenyo revealed that, the Acute Flaccid Paralysis which was a currier of the polio disease had been detected in a two-year-old child in the Northern Region.

She further noted that an environmental stream of polio had also been detected in a gutter in the Northern Region and Agbogbloshie in the Greater Accra Region, a situation she said had compelled the Ghana Health Service to declare the condition as an emergency health alert.

According to her, Ghana had attained the status of "polio-free country" and that it was imperative that the health directorate fought the disease to protect the future of the children below the age of five who could be victims.

Mrs. Amenyo stated that, the environmental health surveillance team's report which showed that the virus was in the system, pointed to the fact that some children were not protected during the previous exercises but added that most newly born babies were given oral polio vaccines.

The Municipal Health Director revealed that some fecal matter was collected from some gutters and confirmed to be contaminated with the polio virus.

She called on Ghanaians to take their sanitation issues very seriously.

She explained that the Supplementary Immunization Activity (SIA) was targeted at all children below the age of five in schools, prayer camps, churches, market places and also at the various health centres.

About 26, 546 children are expected to be immunized in the Kpone -Katamanso Municipality during the four day SIA by the Ghana Health Service.