The Minister of Health Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi calls on parents and caregivers to have every child under the age of five years vaccinated against Polio, an incurable but preventable childhood disease.
“As long as a single child remains unvaccinated from this potentially fatal infectious disease, all other children playing or attending school with the child are at risk of contracting polio, hence we recommend that children under the age of five get immunised against this most common childhood disease at the nearest healthcare facility,” says Minister Motsoaledi.
While there is no cure for Polio – a disease which mainly affects children under 5 years of age, it can be prevented through effective immunisation which protects children for life.
Causes of Polio
Polio is caused by a small germ called the polio virus and can lead to permanent lameness, deformity, and even death. However, due to routine immunisations in childhood, polio has not been seen in South Africa since 1989, but there have been outbreaks of polio in neighbouring countries.
Signs of Polio
The initial signs and symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, constipation, neck stiffness, pain in the limbs, sudden flaccid paralysis and less commonly, diarrhea.
In most severe cases, the poliovirus attacks the motor neurons of the brain stem, reducing breathing capacity and causing difficulty in swallowing and speaking. Without adequate respiratory support, this form of polio, called bulbar polio, can result in death.
“Immunisations for childhood vaccine-preventable diseases are available free of charge at all public health facilities, hence we urge all parents and caregivers to bring along the Road to Health Booklet when they take their children for immunisation,” adds Motsoaledi.
