ogotá, October 28, 2022. Within the commemoration of World Polio Day (October 24), the Ministry of Health and Social Protection is presenting the successful eradication of the contagious disease that mostly affects children under 5 years old.
Polio is caused by the Poliovirus, which invades the central nervous system and can cause death or paralysis within hours.
María Belén Jaimes, deputy director of communicable diseases of the Ministry of Health, commented on the use of the slogan 'end to polio' showing their support of the eradication efforts at the national level, as well as the continued vaccination which has maintained epidemiological surveillance actions and with coverage above 95%.
She added that "the country, in compliance with global polio eradication strategies, has maintained the elimination since 1991 thanks to high immunization coverage."
Within the framework of the celebration, the Ministry is inviting fathers, mothers, and caregivers to comply with the national polio vaccine schedule, administering three doses at 2, 4 and 6 months of age plus 2 boosters: at 18 months and 5 years. This complete schedule confers protection for life.
Polio in numbers
- At epidemiological week 40, the notification rate of Acute Flaccid Paralysis was 1.01 and the expected rate for the same period was 0.77; the country meets the indicator.
- Vaccination coverage with the third dose of poliomyelitis in boys and girls under 1 year of age for 2021 was 86.1%.
- Cases caused by wild poliovirus have decreased by more than 99% from the estimated 350,000 in 1988 to six reported in 2021.
- With at least one infected child, children in all countries are at risk of contracting the disease.
Lastly, the deputy director explained that "currently the Ministry, together with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is advancing in the preparation of a polio risk mitigation action plan to be developed in the second half of 2022 and next year."
