Oral polio vaccination to be done in Baringo County

Baringo County Health Director Dr. Gershom Abakalwa has said the county targets to vaccinate 120, 000 children  against Oral Polio Vaccination (OPV) this weekend.

Abakalwa stated that the vaccine shall be administered to all children under the age of five years on 5th to 9th this month to prevent infection of polio virus.

"Children who will receive the vaccine shall be immunised against the polio virus which affects children under five years by priming it," Abakalwa noted.

The county director said the vaccination targets 120, 000 children in the all county where one health officer with the help of a villager shall carry out the excercise.

"Polio cases in the county have been minimised but there is need to eradicate the chances of contracting the polio virus for the county to be declared safe from the virus," Abakalwa restated.

Abakalwa stated that the county shall introduce injectable polio vaccine to replace the oral drops which has been used severally.

Injectable polio vaccine is scientifically preffered than the oral one as due to its effectiveness and less side effects unlike the OPV associated with low incidence of paralytic polio.

The doctor explained that oral polio vaccine administred on patients who have an immune system that has been impaired by a disease face the risk of poliomyelities which might occur after the first oral drops.

The four day exercise shall be done in all the six sub-counties which are Baringo East, Baringo North,Koibatek, Baringo Central, Mogotio and Baringo South sub-counties, Abakalwa added.