Polio Re-immunisation Campaign Conducted In Thailand

[george]

Polio re-immunisation campaign conducted in Thailand

NONTHABURI: -- Thailand's Ministry of Public Health has conducted its mass vaccination campaign nationwide to prevent the recurrence of polio here, following the reappearance of the disease in 16 countries, as over 1,800 people worldwide were reportedly infected with the disease last year.

Thailand launched its national vaccination campaign against polio last month as health authorities believed the country was at risk in the wake of the resurgence of the disease in some other countries elsewhere in the region.

The polio vaccination programme this year is aimed to re-immunise a young, at-risk population against the disease after they were first vaccinated last year.

This year's campaign took place at many different locations nationwide -- including areas of impoverished and civil unrest in the south, urban slums, and construction and factory sites where approximately two million children aged below five are considered prone to contracting polio infections.

An estimated total of 100,000 immigrant children aged below 15 -- mainly the sons and daughters of undocumented workers from neighbouring Myanmar -- are also included in the target group for the free mass polio vaccination campaign.

To mark the opening of the campaign, Public Health Minister Pinij Jarusombat on Wednesday morning joined local public health officials in giving the polio vaccine to children at Talad Khwan public health centre in Nonthaburi municipality.

There has been no report of a polio infection in Thailand for over eight years.

The spread of the disease in the region -- currently infecting 1,805 people in 16 countries worldwide, including the Asian countries of Indonesia and India last year -- has prompted Thailand to put an active surveillance in place to prevent it from making a return in the country.

--TNA 2006-01-18

[astral]

I was surprised to see the disease raising it head in India recently.

I am not sure I understand why re-immunisation is needed.

Surely Thai children attending school get these immunisations as they are needed.

Did the government stop at some stage?

If so that was very stupid step.