Headed by Dr.Emmanuel Tinkorang ,Ashanti Regional Health Director, Health officials in the Ashanti Region have kick-started a polio vacination exercise in thirteen districts in the region.
The districts are; Sekyere Afram Plains, Sekyere Central, Sekyere East, Sekyere Kumawu, Ahafo Ano South East, Ahafo Ano South West, Atwima Nwabiagya North, Atwima Nwabiagya South, Offinso North, Offinso South, Ahafo Ano North, Asante Akim North and Asante Akim South.
The move has been best described by officials as a response initiative consequent to newly recorded cases of polio outbreak in two districts namely; Sekyere Kumawu and Ahafo Ano South East.
The affected districts according to report recorded a single case of polio infection each.
The urgent nature of the situation as disclosed by the regional health officials demand a rapid immunisation of all children below age 5 within the affected districts, surrounding districts among others totalling 13 in all.
The round zero of the vacination exercise which is dubbed “Polio Immunisation response initiative” commenced today 11 March 2020 and it’s expected to end on the 4th of March 2020.
Addressing the media yesterday, Ashanti Regional Health Director, Dr. Emmanuel Tinkorang disclosed that the exercise is projected to cover a total of 273,889 children below age 5 within the abovementioned areas.
After the first round of exercise (round zero), health officials as announced by the Director will follow up with other two rounds of polio virus vacination exercises (round 1&2) in all the 43 districts in the region.
The move he indicated is to help stop polio transmission, raise population immunity against poliovirus and strengthen surveilance on polio disease.
