NORTHERN PROVINCE MUSANZE — Several children were on Tuesday immunised against polio during the launch of the mass immunisation campaign in the Musanze district. The supplementary mass vaccination targets about half a million Rwandan children below the age of five living in nine districts that share the border line with DR Congo. According to Emmanuel Nzaramba, an official from the Ministry of Health, the immunisation programme is in response to the detection of four cases of the wild polio virus reported in eastern DR Congo earlier this year. During the launch, residents were asked to remain vigilant and report any suspicious cases of the disease to health personnel. The residents were also urged to ensure general cleanliness in their homes. The disease mostly affects the joints, according health officials. The vaccination which will be carried out in 14 hospitals of the country targets all children below the age of five. The Ministry of Health working in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are working to ensure that the population along the border is immunised against the disease. DR Congo has already conducted a similar campaign along its border areas. The WHO conducted a similar Supplementary Vaccination programme in 2002 as a way of eradicating polio. According to health officials, children can be infected with polio when they eat food or drink water contaminated with the virus or by coming into direct contact with an infected person’s faecal material or saliva. It is said to be a highly contagious viral infection that affects the nervous system and polio tests are reported to be conducted in Entebbe Hospital in Uganda and S Africa. Ends
