Dr Phath Keungsaneth, centre, at the orientation meeting for local media in Vientiane last Friday.

By Manythone

(KPL) The Hygiene and Health Promotion Department of the Ministry of Health has called on electronic and print media to help disseminate information about polio immunizations to target groups in rural areas in order to respond to the polio outbreak.  

Polio has entered the spotlight following the recent report of two Hmong people’s deaths. 

An eight-year-old boy was reported to have died of polio on 7 Sep 2015 in Bolikhan district, Borikhamxay Province. Three weeks later a 4-year-old child died of the disease in Home district, Xaysomboun Province.

The target group is children aged between 14 weeks and 15 years.  Parents have been urged to bring their children in for immunizations. 

During the first round of the polio immunization campaign, it was discovered that many parents living rural areas had forgone having their children vaccinated.

The request was made by Director General of the Hygiene and Health Promotion Department, Dr Phath Keungsaneth at a meeting in the presence of the UNICEF Representative to the Lao PDR, Ms Hongwei Gao and local media.  

“In the past, the government has placed great importance on supporting the immunization programme and was able to proclaim the country as a polio-free country in the year 2000.  No case of polio had been reported for more than 15 years,” said Dr Phath.

Then, in early October of this year, a new case was reported about an 8-year old boy from Phamueang village, Bolikhan district, Borikhamxay Province.  Last month, an additional four cases were confirmed in Borikhamxay Province and Hom district of Xaysomboun Province, said Dr Phath.

To control and respond to the polio outbreak, the Ministry of Health joined with international organizations in Laos and relevant officials to launch the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) campaign for children aged 14 weeks to 15 years.  The campaign began in October and will run through March of next year.

Since October, polio immunizations have been given twice in the provinces of Borikhamxay, Xaysomboun and Xieng Khuang.  From 21-31 December, three new immunizations will be given across the country.

According to the polio outbreak response plan, six rounds of oral polio vaccinations will be conducted across the country (four at the local level and two at the national level) with the objective of reaching more than 95 per cent of children under the age of 15.  

Dr Phath also called on all sectors of the communities to help promote this campaign to all areas, especially by local authorities, the media and parents.  Children between the ages of 14 weeks and 15 years should be vaccinated at hospitals, health facilities and by outreach teams dispatched to villages in Vientiane Capital and other parts of the country from today onwards.

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious disease that is caused when the polio virus invades the nervous system. Polio can cause paralysis and even death.  

The polio virus is silent. This means that polio can be widespread in a community before a case of paralysis is seen. The virus enters the body through the mouth and is often transmitted by food or drinking water contaminated with fecal matter from a person who is carrying the polio virus.

This virus mainly affects children under five years of age who are not immunized or are under-immunized.  It may also affect adolescents and adults.

KPL