Polio still a great challenge in Uganda

8 November 2022, 9:55 am

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Polio is a viral disease that is transmitted from person to person, mainly through a fecal-oral route or less frequently, through contaminated water or food and multiples inside the intestines.

 

The health ministry in August last year declared an outbreak of polio following confirmation of laboratory tests from samples in Kampala.

Whereas Uganda and entire Africa were certified by the World Health Organisation as wild poliovirus free in August 2020, samples collect

ed, particularly from sewerage plants in Bugolobi and Lubigi in August last year, confirmed a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2.

The virus detected had a genetic linkage with a Cvdpv2 strain reported in Sudan and affects children in communities with low immunity levels.

This prompted the ministry to carry out a nationwide polio campaign to immunize all children below the age of five.

 

Dr. Margret Nanozi explains how far Mpigi district has reached.