Parents in Nyeri have been asked to ensure their children are vaccinated against polio to protect them against the debilitating disease.
And in a bid to rally the parents to take proactive action to protect their children, the Rotary Club of Nyeri in partnership with the Nyeri County Health Department, held a walk around the town aimed at creating awareness to the public on polio with a theme dubbed ‘end polio now’.
Speaking during the event, the Rotary Club Nyeri President, Nancy Ng’ang’a, said they decided to stage the walk to sensitize local residents on polio and to celebrate the achievements so far made in the fight against the disease worldwide.
Ng’ang’a lauded the milestone achievements, saying that it has helped in fighting polio cases with only Pakistan and Afghanistan remaining with the burden of eradicating polio.
“I am so pleased with our members today for participating in this event marking World Polio Day. Rotary International has done and will continue to do its part in this fight. As we speak, it’s only in Pakistan and Afghanistan where we still have challenges in managing this disease,” Ng’ang’a said.
She called upon the public to ensure their children receive vaccines as a protective measure against the communicable disease.
“If it was not for the remarkable milestone of our parents/guardians that ensured we received the polio vaccine, this couldn’t be possible. I call upon all parents to ensure their newborn babies receive the vaccines for the preventable diseases to ensure a healthy nation,” she stated.
She thanked the residents for adhering to call to the mandatory vaccination that is given at birth, saying this has helped in keeping the disease at bay.”
The Nyeri County Health Department Disease Surveillance Coordinator, Lydia Njaramba, said Nyeri has not recorded any case of the disease and lauded Rotary Club for leading in the fight against the disease.
The Chief Officer in the Department of Public Service Management and an Immunization Officer, Joseph Kanyi King’ori, also emphasized the need to scale up polio vaccination, saying that it will help in reducing the number of disabled people.
“Lack of polio vaccination affects someone at a younger age and even in adulthood. Receiving the vaccine will greatly assist in reducing the higher numbers of disabilities caused by polio,” King’ori said.
By Ann Ngure
