POLIO TARGETED VACCINATION DRIVE IN MORESBY SOUTH

Port Moresby is grappling with a recently detected polio emergency, leading to a focused vaccination campaign in the Moresby South electorate with the aim to curb the spread of the virus, which was identified approximately three weeks ago.

The National Capital District Provincial Health Authority (NCDPHA) has confirmed that polio vaccination for children under five years old is being integrated into the ongoing Maternal & Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE) Campaign, specifically targeting Moresby South.

This strategic focus is a direct response to the detection of poliovirus in this area, including the Joyce Bay locality, as confirmed by health surveillance teams and officially released by the Health Department.

Janet Pongone, the acting Deputy Director of Public Health Family Health Services & HEO for NCDPHA, explained the prioritization: “Because of the polio emergency in Moresby South, we are starting with Moresby South.”

“Our health surveillance team detected the virus in the sewerage where Joyce Bay is, in the Moresby South area. So, we are responding to the affected area first.”

She noted that a prior 10-day standalone polio routine immunization drive in Moresby South saw a “good turnout from the parents.”

Under the current integrated campaign, NCDPHA teams are reaching out to health facilities and communities. When parents, particularly mothers attending MNT services, bring their children under five, their clinic books are being checked for complete vaccination, and polio booster doses are administered as needed. This integrated approach maximizes reach and ensures children receive vital protection.

While Moresby South is currently only conducting the MNTE program, Moresby North East and North West electorates will be concluded in a nationwide polio campaign that is anticipated in July.

This broader rollout will cover the entire country, including the remaining electorates in NCD, as per the advice from the National Department of Health.

Health authorities are appealing to parents and guardians in Moresby South to bring their children for vaccination when teams visit their communities or to attend the nearest health facility. The urgent response underscores the government’s commitment to protecting the nation’s children from the debilitating effects of polio.