The City of Johannesburg started a mass vaccination campaign against polio at all of its public healthcare facilities. Polio is a virus for which there is no cure that mainly affects children under 15.
MMC for Health and Social Development, Dr Mhpo Phalatse, said South Africa has been declared polio-free for the past 20 years, however, people should always be on guard to ensure that they remain polio-free.
“With the City attracting hundreds of travellers every month, as well as people’s propensity to travel and the ease of spread of polio, it is important that we are all constantly on high alert and maintain a high standard of preventative care,” she said.
Polio (or poliomyelitis) can cause lifelong paralysis with sufferers unable to move parts of their body. The disease can also be deadly if not properly treated.
“While there is no cure for polio and its effects are irreversible, preventative care will ensure that our children continue to be healthy and safe,” said Phalatse.
“In support of the World Health Organisation’s polio eradication initiative, the City of Johannesburg is committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of personal circumstances, is protected
through freely available vaccinations at all public health clinic facilities. The risk of lifelong paralysis is very serious and polio eradication was declared a public health emergency in 2012.
“There is no cure for polio, but it is completely preventable. Parents and caregivers are urged to ensure that children participate in this mass vaccination campaign which could mean the difference
between full functionality and disability, or worse still, the difference between life and death. Let us protect our children. The future of our city is in their hands.”
Phalatse explained that about two to five children out of 100, who were paralysed as a result of polio, die because the virus affects the muscles that help them breathe. The poliovirus is extremely contagious.
It spreads through contact with the stools of an infected person. An infected person may spread the virus to others even before the development of symptoms, she said.
Why should my child get the polio vaccine?
- The vaccine protects your child from polio, a potentially serious disease
- It prevents your children from developing lifelong paralysis from polio.
Is the polio vaccine safe?
Yes. The polio vaccine is very safe and effective in preventing polio. Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. Most children who take the polio drops have no side-effects.
What are the likely side-effects?
When side-effects do occur, they are usually mild and manifest in the form of a fever.
When is polio immunisation administered in South Africa?
Oral drops can be administered at birth and dose 1 at six weeks. The polio injectable can be administered for dose 3, 4, 5 and 6 at the ages of six, 10, 14 and 18 weeks respectively.
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