The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) launched this Thursday, June 08, 2023 the first phase of the vaccination campaign against poliomyelitis in the city of Butembo, in North Kivu. The campaign aims to vaccinate 924,824 children aged 0-5 in just three days, until Saturday June 10. Two days of sweeping will also be planned to allow children who missed the call to be vaccinated.
The poliomyelitis virus is very dangerous for children. It is a debilitating disease that can permanently cripple the child for the rest of his life. According to the head doctor of the Expanded Vaccination Program (EPI), Bernardin Siviholya, the DRC is already at the 22ᵉ epidemic of this disease, 19 of which are indigenous, 2 from Angola and one in the CAR.
The vaccination campaign is therefore of paramount importance to protect children against this devastating disease and thus enable each child to manage his or her life well. Indeed, poliomyelitis is a disease that can prevent the child from leading a normal life and enjoying all his faculties.
The mayor of Butembo, MOWA BAEKI TELY Roger, officially launched this campaign, which should contribute to reducing infant mortality in this region, which is already badly affected by malnutrition and armed conflict.
It is therefore crucial to make parents aware of the importance of having their children vaccinated to avoid human tragedies. This vaccination campaign is an opportunity for the DRC to once again show its commitment to public health and the well-being of future generations.