17 June 2009
Cotonou — Health officials in Benin are scheduled to conduct polio vaccinations from 26 to 29 June, one month after the campaign was suspended because of a health workers' strike.
Benin is one of several West African countries where polio has re-emerged over the past year; as of 9 June the country had reported 20 cases for 2009. In all 66 cases have been confirmed this year in West Africa (excluding Nigeria, one of the world's four endemic countries), according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In response to the resurgence, governments, WHO and NGOs are carrying out a series of synchronized vaccination drives.
"For us this is obviously good news that the immunization campaign will take place in Benin," Oliver Rosenbauer, spokesperson for WHO's polio eradication group in Geneva, told IRIN. "Benin is one of the countries which had cases reported following February and March immunization campaigns, so continuing the outbreak response there is particularly crucial."
He added: "We know Benin has successfully stopped outbreaks in the past, so we know this outbreak can be rapidly stopped, if all children under the age of five years are reached."
Some 2.8 million under-five children are targeted in the Benin campaign, according to José Biey, WHO head of vaccinations in the country.
One unvaccinated child puts all children at risk, according to WHO.
WHO's Biey said the delay is not expected to have any negative impact on the operation, adding that health officials will ensure that the 3 million vaccines stocked in the country have been properly preserved.
After a six-month strike, Benin's medical workers on 3 June announced a provisional resumption of services pending negotiations. Union member, Abdon Zonon, told IRIN: "We will not disrupt [this round] of the vaccination campaign. We will participate as needed, but that does not mean the strike is completely over."
[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]
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