The Central African Republic organises its largest polio vaccination campaign since 2020

Bangui, 16 June 2023 – The Government of the Central African Republic, through the Ministry of Health & Population, organised during the month of the June the largest poliomyelitis vaccination campaign in the country since 2020. The campaign targets 35 health districts aiming to immunise around 1.6 million children under 5 years old.

With the technical and financial support from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, including UNICEF, WHO, CDC, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, le Rotary International et Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the campaign follows the door-to-door approach and integrates the COVID-19 vaccination for persons aged 15 years old and above in health centres and temporary-established health posts.

Poliomyelitis is a serious and disabling disease. Its consequences and socio-economic burden can be avoided by the simple action of administering drops of oral polio vaccine to children, mainly those under 5 years old.

“It is thanks to the efforts of the Government and its partners, that the Central African Republic has been declared polio free as of June 2020. However, despite the considerable efforts, CAR, similar to the African Region, remains confronted with the major challenges of this mutating disease,” said UNICEF Representative to CAR, Ms Meritxell Relaño Arana. “This is why our goal is to immunize all children in the country, even those who have been previously vaccinated through the routine vaccination, because no child should be left without protection form polio.”

For his part, WHO Representative to CAR, Dr Ngoy Nsenga, added that “The declaration of the end of COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern does not mean that the disease is no longer a threat to the world and the Central African Republic”. He added: “That’s why coupling this national campaign with the COVID-19 vaccination is a commendable initiative that will fill the vaccination gap to further protect the population against these diseases and to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its resurgence.”

This campaign allows health workers to administer vaccines at homes, as well as in places of worship, markets and schools to ease the burden on parents who have to make, quite often, long journeys to take their children to get vaccinated in health establishments.

In addition, religious and community leaders, in their capacity as polio eradication champions, play a role in raising awareness on the importance of vaccinating children and adults to protect them against polio and COVID-19, respectively.

“This time, they really made it easy for us. The fact that the health workers go from door to door to vaccinate our children is a very good thing for us women who are already very busy with other household chores. Thanks to this approach, I managed to get all my three children vaccinated, and I'm now reassured because I know they're well protected. Without vaccinations, children can catch diseases and even die,” says Marie Claire Manzinga, 38, female-headed household and mother of 3, living in the Bangui 2 health district.

UNICEF, WHO with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative will continue to support the efforts of the Central African Republic Government until every child in the country is vaccinated and protected from polio. A second round of vaccination is scheduled to take place later in 2023.

For more information, please contact:

Salwa Moussa, Chief of Advocacy & Communication, UNICEF Central African Republic, Tel : +236 70 00 97 06, [email protected]

René Koundou Ifono, Communications Officer, WHO Central African Republic, Tel : +236 74 31 95 60, [email protected]