Water For Justice

POLIO CAN CAUSE TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT PARALYSIS

The World Health Organisation (WHO)-Lesotho representative, Ms Angela Benson, says polio is a childhood disease that affects children under age of five and 80 to 90 percent of them are in the African continent.

However, she said the paralysis is more severe when infection occurs in older individuals, but said since polio immunisation has become widespread, cases of polio are rare. Ms Benson was speaking at the 12th bi-annual rotational two day meeting in Maseru on Monday, where delegates from Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland met to share ideas and experiences on how to eradicate polio.

She said, there are also cases in other countries, where adults as old as 70 years were also affected and this was observed in Namibia in 2006.

She further stated that the disease is incurable, but can be easily prevented through among others high immunisation coverage and supplementary immunisations.

Ms Benson, added that it is through unity and commitment of the three countries that transmission of wild polio virus in Southern Africa can be contained.

The Director of Primary Health Care Dr. Lugemba Budiaki, said the fight against polio in general has been long, hard and with much casualty because of the irreversible damage caused by its virus.

He said, with perseverance and dedication, polio virus will be eradicated, adding that members of health delivery services such as traditional healers and community health workers should be included in the fight against polio.

In an interview, the Chairperson of Lesotho Polio Eradication Initiative Committee (NCC), Dr. 'Malika Nkuebe, said polio virus is transmitted through unhygienic practices and eating of contaminated food and in the stools. She said, the disease can be prevented as there is a vaccine available to prevent it, adding that all children should be vaccinated against polio as part of their complete vaccination schedule. The Chairperson of NCC in South Africa, Dr. Ngokoana Khomo, said as part of their polio eradication strategy in South Africa, they have ensured that all children are immunised for polio in all the clinics and hospitals.

She said, there are also health promoters such as traditional healers and ministers, who are involved in polio awareness campaigns, adding that in almost every three years, they embark on house to house immunisation campaigns, where they visit every house to immunise children.

She said, since 1989 they have never received any report of polio case in South Africa. Ms Sbongile Maseko from Swaziland, said the last case of polio in her country was reported in 1986. Polio is a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system and that can cause temporary or permanent paralysis and weakness.

It is predominately spread through the faeces and it is more common in infants and young children and occurs under conditions of poor hygiene. The meeting has been initiated by the WHO to help make Africa a polio free zone and it was attended by among others, the Chairpersons of Intercountry Certification for Polio Eradication (ICPE) and Chairpersons of the three countries' NCC. The meeting ends on Tuesday.