From September 18 to 21, 2020, this vaccination drive aims to immunize over 2 million children under five in the Plateau Central, Centre, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, and Centre-Est regions, as announced by UNICEF in a press release.

A poliovirus case was detected in January 2020 in the Ouargaye health district. A localized vaccination campaign was promptly initiated in the Centre-Est region, but the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted subsequent efforts to contain the outbreak.

“The Covid-19 pandemic led to a temporary halt in vaccination campaigns, causing a disruption in immunization services and an increase in cases of vaccine-preventable diseases such as polio,” explained James Mugaju, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Burkina Faso.

In June 2020, the national disease surveillance system identified nine new polio cases and over 600 cases of acute flaccid paralysis, a condition that polio can cause.

Over 5,000 health workers to conduct door-to-door vaccinations

To execute this campaign, UNICEF has procured and distributed over 2.29 million vaccine doses and mobilized community engagement efforts. More than 5,000 mobilizers and health workers will traverse neighborhoods, identifying, sensitizing, and vaccinating every child aged 0 to 59 months.

The initiative has also provided 39,500 masks and over 26,500 bottles of hand sanitizer to vaccinators to ensure compliance with Covid-19 safety protocols during door-to-door visits.

“UNICEF and WHO remain fully committed to ending the polio outbreak in Burkina Faso. We urge all stakeholders—local authorities, community leaders, and parents—to support and facilitate the work of vaccination teams. Polio is a grave threat to children’s health, and we must eradicate this disease from the country,” stated the UNICEF Deputy Representative.

He added, “With healthcare access hindered by insecurity and the Covid-19 pandemic, it is more critical than ever to intensify efforts to reach every child, vaccinate them, and protect them from vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio.”

Poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio, is a highly contagious viral infection that primarily affects young children. The virus spreads through contaminated water or food and, after multiplying in the intestines, invades the nervous system.

While Burkina Faso was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2015, it is currently among the 15 African countries experiencing outbreaks linked to other forms of poliovirus.

A second round of vaccinations is scheduled for early October 2020, targeting nine regions: Plateau Central, Centre, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, Centre-Est, Sahel, and Nord.