1st anti-polio vaccination campaign kicks off Sunday

CAIRO – 22 July 2018: The Ministry of Health launched on Sunday the first anti-polio vaccination campaign for 4 months in all health units around the state, according to an official source at the Ministry of Health.

The official source told Egypt Today that children should get the vaccination once, adding that it is safe and important for children to be immunized against the disease and that the vaccination will be provided to children under the supervision of the World Health Organization.

Egypt is free from polio; the campaign is launched upon the recommendations of WHO to serve its global polio eradication initiative's goal and ensure a polio-free world for future generations.

The Health Ministry, led by newly-appointed Health Minister Hala Zayed, has consistently reiterated that the country has been lacking disposable amounts of baby formula milk and other vital vaccines for epidemic diseases, especially that the country has witnessed a recent spate of protests over shortages of penicillin vaccines.

Also, the government is currently working on developing a new automated system to ensure that there are no shortages in the vital medicines and vaccines in the health units and hospitals across Egypt.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi announced in July a league of reform measures affecting Egypt’s health sector, giving strict orders to secure national stock reserves of baby formula milk and the most important vaccines.