A forum for the eradication of poliomyelitis was held this Saturday, December 10 in Dakar in order to remobilize all health actors to eradicate the disease, after the commitments already made in Addis Ababa in 2017 for access to vaccination.
With our correspondent in Dakar, Juliet Dubois
Forum speakers first alerted to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on vaccination in Africa. Twenty-five million children did not receive their routine vaccines in 2021. While the African continent had not had a case of poliomyelitis in five years, a patient was detected in Malawi in 2021.
” The final steps towards eradication proved more difficult. Achievements are threatened, even called into question. Indeed, recent poliovirus outbreaks have affected the WHO African region with varying magnitude from country to country. It means that the threat is there “, indicates Anta Tal Dia, president of the scientific commission of the forum
Poliomyelitis, a debilitating disease that mainly affects children, has no cure. Only prevention with the vaccine works. Thanks to vaccination, the number of cases has decreased by 99% since 1988.
President Macky Sall, also the current chairman of the African Union, spoke out, stressing the risk of false information on vaccines. ” It must be said loud and clear that vaccination is a safe medical procedure because from conception to the first injection, the vaccine follows a rigorous scientific protocol that leaves no room for chance. “, he insisted on underlining. President Macky Sall called on African Heads of State to renew their commitment.
► To read also: Polio in Africa: the continent aims for its total eradication