Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Damascus, SANA – Health Minister Nizar Yazigi pledged that the Ministry will spare no effort to ensure access of polio vaccines to children in all areas, including those difficult to reach due to the security situation.
The Ministry’s efforts are being made in cooperation with the civil associations and international organizations concerned, Yazigi said in a statement to the journalists during his tour of a number of health centers and makeshift centers hosting displaced families in Barzeh area in Damascus city.
The Ministry is determined “to free Syria of poliovirus,” the Minister said, asserting that no new cases of this disease were detected since January last year.
He noted that nearly 30 million vaccine doses were distributed to centers in the ongoing national anti-polio vaccination campaign that was launched last Sunday, while 9413 health workers and volunteers and 865 to transport the mobile medical teams were employed.
The campaign will last till next Thursday and is targeting all children under five in all areas and provinces.
Minister Yazigi hailed the 102.2 % coverage rate of the latest vaccination campaign that was carried out last month, saying that was the highest rate since anti-polio vaccination campaigns were first launched in October, 2013 upon the detection of polio cases in the country.
This outcome, he said, indicates the citizens’ confidence in the vaccines provided by the Ministry.
Qabas/ H. Said
