Second round of polio gets underway in Milne Bay

Milne Bay has recorded 80.6 percent coverage in the first round of the Polio Supplementary Immunization Campaign carried out in August.

More than 92,200 children aged from birth to 10 years were vaccinated during the initial rollout.

As the second round begins this week, health authorities are aiming to improve coverage and reach their original target of 95 percent - equivalent to about 108,000 children.

This second round rollout begins October 13 and will run through to the 31st.

Yohannes Getahun from the World Health Organization attached to Milne Bay's polio vaccination rollout confirms weather was one major factor that hindered their first round of polio vaccine rollout in August.

This time around, he says the Milne Bay Health Authority team is working on better advocacy communication and social mobilization activities which needs to be strengthened.

They have also summoned the help of the division of education for this purpose, given some 50percent of their target group are in schools.

The campaign is targeting infants to under 10 year olds, a measure undertaken after news of a resurgence of Poliomyelitis was detected earlier this year.