KIGALI, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan government vaccinated children under one year of age against polio on Thursday, celebrating over 30 years without a single polio case in the country as part of World Polio Day activities.
Under the theme "One Day, One Focus: Ending Polio," events held in Kamonyi district in southern Rwanda included an awareness campaign highlighting the importance of polio vaccination and vigilance to protect future generations from the virus.
Speaking at the event, Claude Muvunyi, director general of the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), said that Rwanda has remained polio-free for over 36 years thanks to the country's strong commitment to child vaccination and widespread hygiene practices across rural and urban areas.
"While we are proud of our achievements in maintaining a polio-free status, we must remain vigilant in protecting our children through sustained vaccination efforts and promoting good hygiene," Muvunyi said.
RBC also announced the launch of polio awareness month, during which additional outreach will be conducted through radio, television and online platforms to inform parents of vaccination schedules and encourage better hygiene practices for children and the community.
World Polio Day, marked annually on Oct. 24, provides an opportunity to honor the dedication of healthcare workers, volunteers and partners who remain vital to the fight against polio.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), while the African region was declared free of indigenous wild poliovirus in August 2020, there is an urgent need to control the spread of the variant type 2 poliovirus (cVDPV2). So far this year, 290 cases of this poliovirus have been detected across 23 African countries, the WHO reported on Wednesday. ■
