PAKISTANI POLIO WORKERS THINK “OUTSIDE THE BOX”What is this Polio Picture? Pakistan’s polio program has launched a novel initiative to reach children of nomadic families with polio and essential vaccines so that they are no longer left behind.
See what Pakistan is doing to reach those not vaccinated and who may be, without knowing it, spreading the virus. This example of “thinking outside the box” is the innovative initiative of the Nomads Immunization Team. The task is to find nomadic settlements and vaccinate the children against polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Since nomads are highly mobile, children in these communities are missed during routine vaccination campaigns or even at transit vaccination sites because they may not be passing through formal routes. This means their immunity remains weak, they are vulnerable to disease, and can potentially transmit poliovirus as they travel across country and district borders. One of the workers searching for these nomads said, “When I met them, I saw how different their lifestyle was since they are constantly on the move and far from health facilities. They want to protect their children from diseases too, so they are happy to see us. They tell us that it is the first time that vaccinators have come to their tents to vaccinate their children.
Novel Type 2 Oral Polio Vaccine - Approximately 595 million doses of nOPV2 have been administered across 28 countries under its WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) to date. An additional 14 countries have met the requirements for nOPV2 use in the event of an outbreak. Take a look at the nOPV2 webpage for more information on the vaccine.