By: Kekeli K. Blamey
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has launched an urgent oral polio vaccination campaign in the Ashanti Region, aiming to protect 1.4 million children from a new Circulating Virus Derived Polio Type 2 strain.
This strain was recently detected in the Eastern Region’s New Juabeng Municipality and has been genetically linked to a similar strain found in Algeria.
Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng, Ashanti Regional Health Director, emphasized the importance of this campaign, citing Ghana’s progress in controlling wild polio strains, but warning that this new strain poses a significant threat to polio eradication efforts.
Low vaccination rates and poor sanitation practices could hinder progress and lead to a polio resurgence.
Dr. Adomako-Boateng cautioned that the virus’s presence in one region puts all children in Ghana at risk, highlighting the need for swift action.
“The sequencing results indicate the virus is genetically linked to virus isolates in Algeria.
Typically, if it was in Algeria and it’s in Ghana, it means if it’s in the Eastern Region, all children in the country are at risk.”
The GHS urges parents and guardians to ensure their children receive the vaccination, protecting them from this debilitating disease.
The health authority hopes that by increasing vaccine coverage, they can effectively prevent the spread of the new polio strain and safeguard public health.
