Burkina Faso launches nationwide polio vaccination campaign

The Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), has initiated a robust nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting seven regions across the country.

key campaign details and objectives

Running from September 18 to 21, 2020, this initiative aims to immunize over 2 million children under five years old in the Plateau Central, Centre, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, and Centre-Est regions. This effort comes in response to a confirmed polio case detected in Ouargaye’s health district earlier this year.

The campaign follows a localized vaccination response in the Centre-Est region before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted routine immunization services. According to James Mugaju, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Burkina Faso, the pandemic led to a temporary halt in vaccination campaigns, resulting in gaps in disease prevention and an increase in cases of vaccine-preventable illnesses, including polio.

monitoring and outbreak response

In June 2020, the national disease surveillance system identified nine new polio cases and over 600 cases of acute flaccid paralysis, a condition often linked to polio. To ensure comprehensive coverage, the campaign involves over 5,000 health workers and mobilizers who will go door-to-door to identify, sensitize, and vaccinate children aged 0 to 59 months.

The initiative is supported by UNICEF, which has facilitated the procurement and distribution of 2.29 million vaccine doses and provided 39,500 masks and 26,500 bottles of hand sanitizer to ensure health workers adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols during household visits.

urgent call to action

UNICEF and WHO have urged all stakeholders—including local authorities, community leaders, and parents—to support this critical vaccination drive. James Mugaju emphasized, “Polio remains a significant threat to children’s health. We must eliminate this disease from Burkina Faso.” He added, “With healthcare access declining due to insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more vital than ever to intensify efforts to reach every child and vaccinate them against preventable diseases, including polio.”

understanding polio and its risks

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects young children. The virus spreads through contaminated water or food and can invade the nervous system after multiplying in the intestines. While Burkina Faso was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2015, it is currently one of 15 African countries experiencing outbreaks linked to other forms of the virus.

next steps in the immunization drive

A second round of vaccination is scheduled for early October 2020 to extend coverage to nine regions: Plateau Central, Centre, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Centre-Est, Sahel, and Nord. This phased approach ensures broader protection for children across the nation.