After a major vaccination campaign in the archipelago, the disease poliomyelitis or polio, also known as polio, is no longer present in the Philippines. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced this on Friday, a year and a half after the polio virus reappeared on the island group.
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In September 2019, new cases of polio were registered, the first in nearly two decades. The virus emerged shortly after measles and cockle fever outbreaks claimed the lives of thousands. The Philippine government has launched a massive vaccination campaign to target and protect millions of children from the infectious disease, which can lead to paralysis and even death. Since the resurgence of the polio virus, a total of 17 people have been infected. According to the health authorities, the virus has not been detected in children or people around them for 16 months.
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Hope for such success for Covid
More than 80 percent of children who were not vaccinated against the polio virus before the campaign are now protected, said Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative in the Philippines. That percentage puts an end to the infections. On Friday, Philippine health authorities expressed their hopes for such success in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. About 1.6 million people – just over one percent of the Philippine population – have already received two corona shots. This slowness is mainly due to scarcity of supplies.
“Several studies show a low level of confidence in vaccination, but this campaign (against polio) has proven otherwise,” said Rosario Vergeire, spokesperson and undersecretary of the Philippine Ministry of Health.
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