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Polio vaccination campaign launched

The nationwide Polio Vaccination campaign was launched today throughout the country. In Bougainville, the ABG Department of Health led the launch of this important program today at the Bel Isi Park, which will see the mass vaccination of children from this deadly disease.

The two week (October 1st to 14th) Polio campaign in Bougainville involves vaccination of children less than 15 years of age and these include a total of 116,000 children in the region alone. It was launched and officially declared open by the ABG Minister for Health Hon. Dennis Lokonai.

Minister Lokonai acknowledged the National Department of Health, Papua New Guinea; Polio Global Eradication Initiative; UNICEF and World Health Organization (WHO) for their effort in addressing this emergency outbreak.

“In Bougainville we have 37% of the population, who are children that are under the threat of this virus and at this eve of referendum that is coming up, we have this generation which needs protection and as a responsible government, ABG has that obligation to protect this generation,” Hon. Lokonai said.

“I appeal to the public, to please, bring all your children so that they can receive this treatment for free.” This is an opportunity to protect all children below 15 years old, to come forward,” he added.

The Polio vaccination campaign target is to get children from the newly born to the age of 15 old immunized for free so children can be protected.

These children will be reached by 140 health workers, 3189 Bougainville Healthy communities Program (BHCP) volunteers, 16 District facilitators and the Management and staff of BHCP.

Deputy Secretary for Policy and Planning, Thomas Raivet welcomed the polio campaign in Bougainville and urged for the public to support this cause to eradicate the virus.

“Today it is about confronting the challenges of polio and responding to those who are authorized to do this campaign and cooperate with them,” Mr Raivet said.

“On behalf of the Bougainville Administration, we are very thankful of this campaign that we are launching today and I would like to extend on behalf of the Bougainville Administration our sincere thank you to the, World Health Organization (WHO), the National Health Department, the ABG and the Health Minister and Secretary.”

He further extended the assistance of the public service to help out in the polio vaccination campaign to eradicate polio and urged the public to cooperate with the operation of this important campaign.  

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