1. L'OMS en Afrique
  2. Keeping the momentum towards polio eradication in Sierra Leone...

Keeping the momentum towards polio eradication in Sierra Leone

Freetown - In March 2024, the government of Sierra Leone declared a polio outbreak in the country implying that unvaccinated children were vulnerable to the type 2 poliovirus (cVDPV2). In April, WHO and other GPEI partners supported MOH to undertake the 1st round of the nation-wide vaccination campaign to control the spread of the poliovirus that had been detected in environmental samples. The 1st round covered all 16 districts reaching close to 1.7 million children under 5 years.

In the build-up to the first round, WHO supported the Ministry of Health to collect more samples and transport them to a reference laboratory, conduct additional investigations and strengthen mass mobilization of communities to take the vaccine, all requiring significant financial and technical resources, in total with the support of GPEI donors investing more than US $1.2 million in round 1 and 2 of the campaigns.

During the second round of the national polio vaccination campaign that kicked off on 8 June 2024, 13,958 mobile and static teams are supporting to reach a target of more than 1.5 million children under five years across Sierra Leone. WHO in collaboration with the Sierra Leonian health authorities and partners is supporting these efforts as part of the outbreak response in the country.

Liberian Border
Confirmed in March 2024, the vaccine-derived type 2 poliovirus (cVDPV2) outbreak was also reported in the neighboring countries of Guinea, Liberia, Cote d’Ivore, Burkina Faso and Mali) leading to synchronized house-to-house polio vaccination campaigns in the first round involving all six countries using the novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2).
challenging roads
While polio continues to circulate in Sierra Leone and the neighboring countries, children under five remain at risk. Sierra Leone is making constant efforts to keep children protected. This photo story illustrates the ongoing hard work the vaccination teams do during the second round of nationwide vaccination campaigns.
Every child
During this second round of the nationwide polio campaign, more than 60% of the more than 1.5 million targeted children (0 -59 months) live in rural areas, while 40% live in urban areas are being targeted with the oral polio vaccine. Here, a beneficiary child in Western Urban receives the polio vaccine at Kissi Health Center.
Most vulnerable.
WHO knows that vaccinating children such as this one, including others in high-risk areas using mobile and static team clinics, is essential to strengthen population immunity.
River
Despite challenges, teams supported by the WHO and its staff travel across the country using cost-effective modes of transportation, such as motorbikes, cars, local ferries, and motorboats, to ensure that children on both the mainland and islands are reached. In the picture below, a WHO staff is shown joining the vaccination team on a motorboat to Bonthe Island.
Markings
The WHO teams, MOH, and partners are conducting door-to-door and health facility verification exercises to ensure that children receive appropriate doses of vaccines.
Marking
Fingers are also marked, and the registers are checked to ensure they are correctly filled after receiving two drops of the oral polio vaccine so that monitors know who has received protection, like this pictures, little girls fingers are checked.
cold chain
The WHO technical officer checks the cold chain freezer to ensure that vaccines are stored safely under cool temperatures. For the oral polio vaccine to work, it needs to be stored between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius.
Every child
WHO understands that micro-planning is essential to make sure no child is missed. The vaccination teams make and double-check maps of each chiefdom and village to make sure every child is found and vaccinated.
hard to reach
Children in hard-to-reach areas are particularly vulnerable, as it can be hard to reach them with the vaccines, they need to protect them. WHO and polio vaccinators reached these families during the latest campaign and ensured those under five years old received a dose.
monitoring
After each day of the campaign, a monitoring team visits households to make sure every child receives the vaccine.
Reviews
Every day after the campaign, the team sits down to review their work, discuss challenges, and agree on how best to address them the next day.

Throughout this process, WHO dedicated staff and teams guide and support the vaccination process. From training vaccinators to delivering vaccines and monitoring their administration and coverage, much time and effort from thousands of people go into keeping children safe across Sierra Leone.
Pour plus d'informations ou pour demander des interviews, veuillez contacter :
SHARKAH Madlyn
National Communication Officer
WHO Sierra Leone
Email: sharkahm [at] who.int (sharkahm[at]who[dot]int)