Routine polio vaccination services that save lives must be prioritised during the pandemic to protect child health and maintain the hard-earned polio-free status of the country and South-East Asia region.
JAKARTA, 24 October 2020 – As the world marks World Polio Day on 24 October, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are urging nations to stay vigilant in the fight against poliomyelitis (polio) and bolster vaccination services.
Polio is a crippling and sometimes fatal disease with no cure. However, there are safe and effective vaccines and infection of polio can be prevented through immunization. Eradication of polio is based on preventing infection by immunizing every child until transmission stops and the country, region, and world is polio-free. Thanks to these vaccination efforts, cases of polio have been reduced by about 99% over the past decade.
Over the years, Indonesia has shown strong commitment and made significant progress towards polio eradication. However, the fight is not over, and challenges remain, including most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to routine vaccinations and essential health services have been and continue to be disrupted during the pandemic. Misinformation along with community transmission of COVID-19 have raised parental concerns about the safety of visiting health clinics and immunization services, and eventually have led to decreases in attendance.
The importance of vaccination against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases is heightened during this crucial period; to protect the gains already achieved and to sustain the polio-free status in Indonesia and the South-East Asia region.
“World Polio Day is a chance to acknowledge the relentless efforts of health workers to leave no child behind in providing life-saving polio vaccines, particularly, during the time of COVID-19. This day is also a timely reminder of the immense value of a safe, effective, and reliable vaccines. The polio vaccine, given multiple times, almost always protects a child for life and is the best way of preventing infection of this potentially fatal disease,” said Dr N. Paranietharan, WHO Representative to Indonesia.
"The fight against polio must continue – now more than ever given that COVID-19 has disrupted routine immunization across the country, including polio. Indonesia has achieved many milestones in polio eradication to date, helping children to live polio-free and reach their full potential. We must not stop working to make sure every child is protected from polio and all preventable diseases," said UNICEF Representative Debora Comini.
For more information about polio, visit WHO Health Topics: Polio
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