Latest news with #Kapavore
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Health
- Scoop
Polio Vaccines Set To Arrive In PNG Next Week, Says Health Minister
Papua New Guinea's health minister, Elias Kapavore, says polio vaccines are set to arrive in the country next week. The World Health Organisation declared an outbreak of the disease in PNG last month. The Post Courier reported that as of 6 June, 48 cases of acute flaccid paralysis - a condition characterized by rapid onset of muscle weakness or paralysis, but not a disease in itself - had been reported across 11 provinces. Of these, 20 tested negatives for poliovirus, and 28 remain under investigation. Kapavore said the primary objective is to protect children from paralysis and prevent further virus transmission. Kapavore said vaccines are scheduled to arrive between 16 and 20 June. The estimated cost for two rounds of the vaccination campaign is 88 million kina (US$21.4m). So far, 74 million kina has been secured through the PNG and Australian governments and from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, as well as technical and logistical support from WHO and UNICEF, including the full cost of the nOPV2 vaccine supply. During the recent World Health Assembly in Geneva, Kapavore presented PNG's national statement, reaffirming its commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and advocating for cross-border coordination, especially with Indonesia. "The genetic link to the Indonesian strain [of polio] highlights the urgency of strengthening biosecurity capacity at the Papua New Guinea-Indonesia border," he said. "We must scale up surveillance and immunisation at these points of entry through coordinated efforts by the Departments of Health, Agriculture, Defence, Immigrations and Border Security, to prevent future cross-border transmission of polio and other infectious diseases." He called upon every MP to actively support vaccination and awareness efforts in their constituencies. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation has raised concern about comebacks of vaccine-preventable disease in east Asia and the Pacific. In the first months of 2025, countries like Cambodia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Vietnam have reported a sharp rise in measles cases compared with the same period last year. UNICEF regional director for East Asia and the Pacific, June Kunugi, said measles and polio are highly infectious. "And children are paying the price for gaps in coverage, delayed care, and misinformation. No child should suffer or die from a disease we know how to prevent."
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Polio outbreak declared in Papua New Guinea, spurring preparation for vaccination campaign
Papua New Guinea is experiencing a polio outbreak that has infected at least two children, according to health authorities who called for an immediate vaccination campaign. The country of nearly 12 million people in Oceania launched a national response this week after detecting poliomyelitis, known also as polio, in two healthy children during routine screenings. Sewage testing confirmed the virus was circulating in Lae, its second-largest city. Polio is a highly infectious disease that mostly affects young children. In severe cases, it can cause lifelong paralysis or death. While it has mostly been stamped out globally, polio is still endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan and cases are occasionally reported elsewhere in the world. Papua New Guinea was declared polio-free in 2000, but it experienced an outbreak in 2018 that paralysed 26 people. Related Poliovirus has been detected in sewage in 3 European countries. What happens now? The situation now is 'serious but manageable,' health minister Elias Kapavore said in a statement. 'We've dealt with this before and know what works,' Kapavore added. There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented with vaccination. In Papua New Guinea, however, many children remain vulnerable due to low immunisation rates, according to Dr Veera Mendonca, UNICEF's representative in the country. Related Poland urges polio vaccinations for children after the virus is detected in Warsaw sewage The United Nations agency called for a widespread vaccination effort and said it was working with the government to procure and distribute jabs. 'While the focus right now is on stopping this outbreak, we must take this opportunity to boost routine immunisation to 90 per cent and protect children long-term,' Mendonca said in a statement. UNICEF is also helping to boost the country's disease monitoring and raise awareness around the outbreak, she added.
