Hela pushes ahead with polio vaccination after delayed start

The Hela Provincial Health Authority has pushed into the second round of the national polio vaccination campaign, despite starting one week late.

Public Health Director Rebecca Puruma said the delay was caused by problems faced during the first round, including disruptions from the Local Level Government elections.

“Although we began late, Hela PHA has already achieved 73.5 percent coverage as of November 11, 2025,” Ms Puruma said. “Our facility officers have worked tirelessly to reach communities, and despite the setbacks, they have managed to sustain the program.”

One of the biggest challenges has been reaching remote villages.
Ms Puruma said helicopter support from the Santos Foundation did not arrive on time, leaving many isolated areas still uncovered.

“We are yet to reach those isolated communities, but we remain hopeful that the extension will give us the opportunity,” she said.

The National Department of Health has given an extra week for the campaign, allowing health workers to carry out “mop-ups” in communities and facilities they could not reach earlier.

Ms Puruma said the extra time is important for improving coverage. “Our health team is crossing their fingers that we can reach the hard-to-reach population during this extension week. We will try our best to meet the national target of 95 percent before the program closes,” she said.

Despite the late start, Hela is currently ranked eighth in the country for polio vaccination progress.