A hundred and sixteen thousand children in Bougainville will be given free vaccination against Polio, which is a deadly virus that can cause paralysis and even death.

This is the target of the Polio vaccination campaign for Bougainville that was launched in Buka yesterday.

According to Secretary for the Department of Health, the campaign to end polio- a highly infectious disease- has started in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville yesterday in the north, south and central regions.

Mr Clement Totavun said that cases of polio have been reported in five provinces namely Morobe, Enga, Madang, National Capital District (NCD) and Jiwaka provinces in Papua New Guinea.

The ABG Department of Health will be leading the team made comprising of World Health Organization (WHO) and National Department of Health representatives who will visit schools, clinics and targeted communities to vaccinate children below the age of 15 and also to carry out awareness on the deadly disease.

World Health Organizer (WHO) Technical Advisor Mr Lamin Kanyi said that there were no reported cases in Bougainville, however, it was still important that children who were not vaccinated must still receive treatment to protect them against Polio.

The Polio vaccination campaign will run for fourteen days across the region and will end on Sunday 14th October. Vaccination is free therefore all parents are urged to cooperate with the health workers and bring their children to receive the vaccination.

Photo caption: Minister for Health, ABG, Hon Dennis Lokonai handing a polio vaccination to a child.

[ Back to News ]