Media Advisory
WHAT: "Synchronized"
polio National Immunization Days in 16 countries in West Africa with support
from international partners including the World Health Organization (WHO),
the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Rotary International.
WHO: Tens of thousands of health workers and trained volunteers will aim to immunize 80 million children under five years of age, including previously unreachable children.
WHEN:
19 October 2001: The launch of the West African "synchronized" polio National Immunization Days in Lungi, Sierra Leone. This event will include the Presidents of Mali, Sierra Leone and other high-level dignitaries, in a multi-country, multi-faith ceremony
20 - 22 October: National Immunization Days in Sierra Leone.
22 - 26 October: National Immunization Days across 16 West African countries, including border areas and refugee and nomadic camps.
WHERE: In Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte D'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea (Conakry), Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Nigeria will undertake sub-National Immunization Days in October followed by National Immunization Days in November 2001 and January 2002.
WHY: The countries of West Africa are on the verge of eliminating polio. In 2000, "synchronized" National Immunization Days successfully reached 76 million children with oral polio vaccine, and dramatically reduced transmission of the wild poliovirus in the region. In 1999, 1199 polio cases were reported. So far in 2001, there are only 20 reported cases. Two rounds of National Immunization Days in October and November 2001 will consolidate this progress - a crucial step in the drive to eradicate polio globally and certify the world polio-free by 2005.
The poliovirus does not respect national boundaries. In any region where conflict, the labour situation and natural disasters cause frequent movement of populations, the synchronization of NIDs in an entire geographical area is essential to interrupt polio transmission.
Opportunities for the press:
- Observe immunization in formerly inaccessible areas in Sierra Leone. Transport can be arranged on the morning of 20 October from Freetown.
- Witness cross-border activities involving special immunization posts to ensure children crossing from one country to another are immunized.
- Accompany the poliovirus tracking teams who find and analyse every case of polio.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded by WHO, Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The polio eradication coalition also includes national governments; private foundations (e.g. United Nations Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation); development banks (e.g. World Bank); donor governments (e.g. Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom and the United States of America); non-governmental humanitarian organizations (e.g. the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement) and corporate partners (e.g. Aventis Pasteur, De Beers). Volunteers in developing countries play a central role; ten million have participated in mass immunization campaigns.
For further information, please contact:
Christine McNab, WHO, Geneva, tel. (+41
22) 791 4688, mobile (+41) 79 254 6815, mcnabc@who.int;
Claudia Drake, WHO, Geneva, tel. (+41 22) 791 3832, drakec@who.int;
Dr Deo Nshimirimana, WHO, Abidjan, tel. (+ 225 20) 22 29 28, deon@aviso.ci;
Vivian Fiore, Rotary International, Chicago, tel. (+1 847) 866 3234, fiorev@rotaryintl.org;
Steve Stewart, CDC, Atlanta, tel. (+1 404) 639 8327, znc4@cdc.gov;
Mohammad Jalloh, UNICEF, New York, tel. (+1 212) 326 7516, mjalloh@unicef.org
Global Polio Eradication Initiative Information: See www.polioeradication.org, Rotary International's PolioPlus site at http://www.rotary.org, www.cdc.gov or the polio site on www.unicef.org.