The Volta Region Health Directorate has urged parents and guardians to keep children under five years healthy and sound by making sure that they are immunized against polio.

The Deputy Director in charge of Public Health, Dr Senanu Kwesi Dzokoto said this during a media and stakeholders’ sensitization meeting on mono oral polio Vaccine type 2 [Mopv2] mass campaign by the Volta Regional Health Directorate on the mass polio vaccination scheduled for 10^th -13^th September and from 8^th October to 11^th October  

According to Dr Dzokoto, it is very important for every child to take the vaccine whether he or she has received earlier vaccination during the routine immunization as the additional doses are not harmful but rather beneficial to the entire population

 “All children from 0 to 5 years would have to be reached for vaccination during round 1 which takes place from 10th to 13th September and again during the round 2 which takes place from the 8th of October to 11th of October,” he said  

The main objective of the campaign, according to Dr Dzokoto is to stop the transmission of the polio virus that has been detected and to prevent any future outbreak in the Volta Region adding it is important for everyone to get involved and be part of the advocacy initiative to keep children safe, sound and free from polio.

“Let us all be part of the advocacy initiative to keep our children safe, sound, strong and free from polio. We can realize these objective only if all children from 0 to 5 years are vaccinated,” he urged

He said that as long as a single child remains infected, children everywhere are at risk of contracting polio. He indicated that low immunization coverage, poor sanitation and hygiene, especially open defecation, as well as poor handwashing practices, put the nation at higher risk of a polio epidemic.

The Volta Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, according to Dr Senanu Kwesi Dzokoto, has worked very well with all stakeholders to build the Region’s capacity to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Dzokoto noted that the health service will continue to focus on the public health basics which include all forms of disease surveillance and health education.

Dr Dzokoto noted that in order to prevent the direct and indirect health effects of Covid-19 the health service has adopted measures to ensure that all health personnel render all routine services in an absolutely safe environment.

“The teams that will go round to vaccinate all the children will adhere strictly to the Covid-19 safety protocols. Each team member will be provided with facemasks and an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean their hands before and after vaccinating each child. The safety is of paramount concern to the Service” he noted

In the Volta Region, all the 18 districts will be part of this very important exercise

•Round 1: 10th -13th, September-2020 (All Districts in Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Volta, Upper West, Western and Western North regions)

•Round 2: 8th -11th October-2020 ((All Districts in Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Volta, Upper West, Western and Western North regions)