UNICEF announced that a national five-day anti-polio vaccination campaign targeting about seven million children aged zero to five years commenced on Friday in Founkoye village, located in the Tahoua region in the western part of Niger.
“The campaign benefits from the commitment of authorities and communities to ensure that each targeted child receives the two drops of vaccine that will protect them,” UNICEF wrote on X.
During the launch, Health Minister Garba Hakimi stated that the campaign aims to vaccinate exactly 6,842,491 small children, with the initiative concluding on Monday, according to media reports. He also called on local, administrative, customary, and religious leaders to actively participate in the campaign.
Polio has no cure and can only be prevented through vaccination. Administering the polio vaccine multiple times can provide lifelong protection for a child, according to the WHO. There are two types of vaccines available: the oral polio vaccine (OPV) and the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV).
Since 1988, the use of OPV has been instrumental in reducing global polio cases by over 99%, making it an essential component in the global fight against polio.
In addition to its direct benefits, OPV can indirectly protect others. For several weeks post-vaccination, the vaccine virus replicates in the intestine and is excreted, which can lead to the "passive" immunization of those in close contact who have not been vaccinated.
Moreover, OPVs are cost-effective, priced between $0.15 and $0.20 for countries buying through UNICEF, and are administered orally, eliminating the need for health professionals, sterile needle syringes, or a complex cold chain system, which allows for a rapid, large-scale vaccination.