Vaccination and eradication of poliomyelitis in the Democratic Republic of Congo: a call for continued efforts
According to the minutes of the 103rd meeting of the Council of Ministers held on July 7, 2023, the President of the Republic of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, called on the government to continue its efforts in terms of vaccination and eradication of poliomyelitis. He welcomed the significant progress made during the forum on vaccination and the eradication of poliomyelitis which was held on June 27 and 28, 2023.
The Congolese government is committed to funding vaccination at the national level. Since the first forum in 2019, the government has tripled the amount allocated for the purchase of vaccines, reaching $18.2 million in 2022, which has made it possible to acquire vaccines for all Congolese children.
However, President Tshisekedi underlined the challenges that remain, such as the vaccination coverage below 50% in the whole country, the persistence of a large number of unvaccinated children and the presence of epidemic foci, in particular poliomyelitis. derived from the vaccine that unfortunately paralyzed 500 children.
To face these challenges, President Tshisekedi asked the Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention to propose a roadmap for high-impact interventions, in order to meet these challenges and achieve the objectives set, such as eradicating vaccine-derived polio by the end of 2024 and increasing total health coverage to 75% by 2027.
Vaccination remains a priority for the Congolese government and President Tshisekedi has also insisted that funding for vaccination must be provided on a regular basis each year.
The article also mentions that the DRC recently organized the 3rd National Forum on Immunization and Polio Eradication, with the aim of mobilizing government actors and partners to ensure that all children are vaccinated against polio.
In conclusion, the Congolese government continues its efforts in terms of vaccination and eradication of poliomyelitis. However, challenges persist and it is essential to continue to mobilize resources and partners to achieve the objectives set and ensure the health of Congolese children