Moslems are not against polio immunization - Alhaji Sani

Parents have been entreated to ensure that their children were vaccinated against poliomyelitis when the national immunization begins on Thursday.

Alhaji Abubakari Sani, a representative of Sekondi Zongo Chiefs on Wednesday, called on Moslem parents to vaccinate their children under five years against poliomyelitis during the national immunization campaign.

He said Moslems were not against any form of immunization. He indicated that polio virus is deadly, and children who were not immunized could suffer paralysis when infected.

“Even though some time ago we heard a story that some Moslems in Nigeria prevented their children from being immunized against polio and other child related diseases because there was an erroneous perception that they want to eliminate Moslems, that period is over and we must all immunize our children for their own safety and health sake,” he advised.

Alhaji Sani gave the advice when the Sekondi-Takoradi Health Directorate launched the metropolitan polio immunization campaign at Chief Ibrahim Basic School at Sekondi.

The three-day campaign is under the theme,” Kick Polio Out of Ghana; Vaccinate Your Children," with the first phase starting from September 18 to 20, while the second phase comes off between October 30 and November 1 across the country.

The Mayor of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, Captain (RTD) Anthony Cudjoe, performed the launching and symbolically gave some dosage of polio vaccines to pupils at the Kindergarten.

He emphasised the need for parents to immunize their children against the poliovirus in view of its deadly nature and negative effects on children’s health.

The Metropolitan Health Director, Madam Joyce Katiru Bagina, said 77,216 children would be immunized within the period and entreated parents, caregivers and teachers to cooperate with the immunization volunteers who would visit their homes to supervise the polio vaccination to children below five years.

She said poliomyelitis is a disease caused by wild poliovirus and can lead to paralysis, especially among children, hence the need to immune them against it.

Madam Bagina noted that polio is endemic in three countries-Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan; “until it is completely eradicated, all countries around the globe risk importing them.”

Ghana has not reported any imported wild poliovirus case since October 2008, and the last indigenous polio case was recorded over a decade ago.