Govt gears for second polio drive

ARMED with 2,86 million doses of vaccine, 1 400 teams of health officials and volunteers will spread out across the country today as the second round of Namibia’s mass polio vaccination campaign kicks off at 07h00.

The target is to administer two drops of Monovalent Type One Oral Poliomyelitis (mOPV) vaccine to least 95 per cent of everyone in the country by Thursday evening. At the same time, the Health Ministry and the United Nations agencies in Namibia hope that no new cases are reported.Any new cases would mean that the vaccination campaign would have to start all over again.”The vaccine should be taken by everybody in Namibia during the time of the vaccination campaign.This includes visitors, for whom special vaccination services are available at all immigration entry points.It also includes Namibians at sea on ships,” said Health Minister Dr Richard Kamwi.He said a considerable number of doses have already been dispatched to all regions, districts and constituencies to ensure that people do not wait long or are not turned away from vaccination points, as had happened at some points in the first round.Among the first to receive the vaccine this morning will be President Hifikepunye Pohamba and First Lady Penehupifo Pohamba, as a team is set to visit State House.So far 210 suspected cases have been reported, of which 19 were confirmed as polio.Health Ministry Under Secretary Dr Norbert Forster said the majority of the cases (76 per cent) were among people over the age of 15, while children under 15 made up 22 per cent.The ages of the remaining two per cent of victims are not known.Forster said 119 (or 57 per cent) of the 210 suspected cases were reported among men.Khomas had the highest number of reported cases (93) followed by the Oshana Region with 41.The third highest was Omusati with 16 cases.The majority of the patients are being treated in Ward 5A of the Katutura Hospital.At the same time, the Health Ministry and the United Nations agencies in Namibia hope that no new cases are reported.Any new cases would mean that the vaccination campaign would have to start all over again.”The vaccine should be taken by everybody in Namibia during the time of the vaccination campaign.This includes visitors, for whom special vaccination services are available at all immigration entry points.It also includes Namibians at sea on ships,” said Health Minister Dr Richard Kamwi.He said a considerable number of doses have already been dispatched to all regions, districts and constituencies to ensure that people do not wait long or are not turned away from vaccination points, as had happened at some points in the first round.Among the first to receive the vaccine this morning will be President Hifikepunye Pohamba and First Lady Penehupifo Pohamba, as a team is set to visit State House.So far 210 suspected cases have been reported, of which 19 were confirmed as polio.Health Ministry Under Secretary Dr Norbert Forster said the majority of the cases (76 per cent) were among people over the age of 15, while children under 15 made up 22 per cent.The ages of the remaining two per cent of victims are not known.Forster said 119 (or 57 per cent) of the 210 suspected cases were reported among men.Khomas had the highest number of reported cases (93) followed by the Oshana Region with 41.The third highest was Omusati with 16 cases.The majority of the patients are being treated in Ward 5A of the Katutura Hospital.