The Department of health and sanitation in Garissa is set to start a polio vaccination campaign, targeting 317,000 children .The campaign, which will run from April 12 to 16, will see children under five across all seven subcounties, including refugee camps.Vaccines will be administered through fixed sites, mobile units and door-to-door visits to ensure broad coverage.Polio being a highly infectious disease, can cause paralysis and even death. While it has no cure, vaccination is the most effective way to manage it.The drive comes after new polio cases were reported along the Kenya-Ethiopia border and will run concurrently in Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, and neighbouring Ethiopia and Somalia.Garissa county acting director of health, Abdullahi Daud urged religious leaders, media and other partners to help mobilise the public, saying the vaccine is safe and effective.Deputy county commissioner Dancan Rono said local administrators will closely work with those charged with carrying out the exercise to ensure its success.“We urge all parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive this vaccine, regardless of previous doses,” the director said.“Kindly use your platforms in the places of worship to pass the message to our people. You should help in demystifying the myth about the vaccine and re- assure our people that it is safe,” he said.Daud urged religious leaders, media, and other stakeholders to help mobilize the public, assuring that the vaccine is safe and effective.“This campaign seeks to reduce new cases, interrupt transmission and curb the spread of polio. The important role played by different players specifically the religious leaders cannot be overstated,” he said.“We all know that the disease causes irreversible disability to human beings. The power of a single vaccination cannot be overstated. This is the message we should all pass to our people,” Abdi said.Sheikh Hassan Abdi from Supkem stressed the importance of the campaign, calling on all partners to make sure the 100 per cent target is achieved.He said that biggest challenge has always been in the rural villages where settlements are scattered, calling on the ministry to ensure it deploys enough personnel to carry out the exercise.
Aden Bille, chairman of persons living with disability in Garissa said as an organisation they remain committed to advocating for disability-inclusive healthcare reiterating the importance of protecting future generations from polio and build a more inclusive society.
The meeting was also attended by representatives from the department of education, children’s department, Supkem, Garissa Pastors Forum, youth and women leaders and civil society groups.
