Polio

The government declared a polio outbreak Friday after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the virus in sewage samples taken in Blantyre, the Health and Sanitation Ministry said, marking what officials described as a second wave of the disease in recent years. Health authorities said the detection followed World Health Organization guidelines and prompted immediate activation of emergency response systems, intensified disease surveillance and planning for nationwide vaccination campaigns. The ministry warned the virus…

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a recent airstrike on a polio vaccination center in northern Gaza has left six individuals injured, including four young children. After a necessary pause in vaccinations due to ongoing Israeli airstrikes, the WHO restarted its second round of immunizations in the region just yesterday. The organization had previously halted these life-saving initiatives amidst escalating violence. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the WHO, remarked, "The healthcare facility was…

Dr. Ubah Farah, a fervent advocate for UNICEF Somalia, underscored the profound impact of this national endeavor to eliminate polio. "This initiative is a lifeline for vaccinating children against polio," Farah expressed. She emphasized that such initiatives are pivotal in public health, aiming to wipe out the poliovirus and stymie its spread. The campaign kicked off in central and southern Somalia, with plans to gradually include the semiautonomous state of Northeastern State and the self-declared region of Somaliland.…