Rwanda Biomedical Centre in collaboration with World Health Organisation and the Rotary Club International celebrated the World Polio Day by providing polio vaccine to children in Biryogo Health centre and conducting a walk through the road from Petit Stade in Remera to RBC headquarters in Kimihurura, during the car free day, to reiterate our commitment to continue to keep our country free of polio for current and future generations.
World Polio Day is celebrated every year on 24 October. It was initiated by Rotary International 10 years ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who developed a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
World Polio Day 2021 Theme in Rwanda is, “Let’s preserve our achievements and build a Rwanda free of polio”
The Director General of RBC, Dr. NSANZIMANA Sabin says after Polio was declared as a pandemic that ravaged the World, the objective set was to end the polio, Rwanda was one of the countries that achieved this objective and is now free of Polio,
“As we celebrate the World Polio Day, there is no case of Polio in Rwanda. Rwanda was declared a wild polio-free country two years ago. We are committed to carry on public awareness and remain vigilant against Polio. The success against Polio has shown that eradication of other big diseases such as malaria, AIDS, and so on, is possible etc.” Says Dr. Nsanzimana.
Dr. Nsanzimana added that strong leadership and solid health system were instrumental to end Polio in Rwanda but above all the vaccine was the most powerful tool to eradicate Polio. Dr. NSANZIMANA Sabin thanked all the stakeholders including Rotary Club International, involved in immunization program for their collective efforts to kick out Polio.
DR. Jean d’Amour Manirere, who represented Rotary Club International in Rwanda at the function, said that Rotary Club International is involved in different activities against diseases. This organization embraced the fight against Polio has started since 1985 with a bid to eradicate it.
“We are involving in battling different pandemics including Polio, we started to fight Polio in 1985. In this endeavor, we provide financial support and carry out public awareness. The today’s walk with RBC aimed to raise public awareness and remind people that the battle against polio is continuous until we have zero case in the World.”
There is no cure, but safe and effective vaccines are there. Polio can be prevented through immunization. Polio vaccine is given multiple times, almost always protects a child for life. The strategy to eradicate polio is therefore based on preventing infection by immunizing every child until transmission stops and the world is polio-free. There are two types of vaccine to prevention infection.Oral Polio Vaccine It is given orally as a birth dose for institutional deliveries, then primary three doses at 6, 10 & 14 weeks and one booster dose at 16-24 months of age. Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV): Two fractional doses are given at 6 and 14 weeks of age by Intradermal route on the right upper arm.