Some ,23400 children vaccinated on Polio campaign in Bardhere

Around 23400 children under the age of five in Bardhere district and several other villages have benefited from polio vaccination campaign for the first time in years.

Osman Ali, vaccination worker who walked door to door told Goobjoog news that they have carried out polio vaccination campaign in the town and areas under its administration.

“First time we were lacking the freedom to carry out our duties but now we thank almighty Allah we have successfully completed the first and second vaccination round” he said.

He added “the traditional elders in the areas have put great effort get polio vaccination for their children”

He underlined that it has taken long time before parents were convinced to take part in vaccination campaign and take their children to the vaccination centres.

Mohamed Ali of the UN’s World Health Organization said the immunisation campaign reached from Fafahdun, 80km from Bardhere, to Shimbiroodle and Hagar-buulle 78km from Bardhere town.

The program was funded and supervised by WHO and UNICEF. It involved 180 vaccination workers over a four day period.

Transmission of the wild poliovirus has also never been stopped in many parts of the world but African countries are still wrestling with it.

In Somalia, progress has been made over the last few years to stem the spread of the virus. The focus for the government and all of the polio partners has shifted to missed children. Vaccinators have gained access to areas that have been out of reach for years.