More than 15K non-Egyptian children given polio vaccine free of charge

CAIRO – 3 March 2021: Some 15,704 non-Egyptian children residing in the country have been given the polio vaccine as part of a three-day nationwide campaign to administer the vaccination, according to a Health Ministry statement Wednesday.

About 15.6 million children have been given the vaccine until Tuesday, where the campaign ended on Wednesday. The figure represents 93.5% of the children targeted in the campaign, who are 16.7 million children from age one day to five years.

In the governorates of Sharkia, Cairo, Dakahlia, Menoufia, Beheira, Kafr el-Sheikh, Asyut, New Valley, more than 100% of children targeted have been given the vaccine.

A total of 5,400 health units participated in the campaign, as well as mobile medical teams on main streets, at metro, train and bus stations, near mosques, churches, clubs, and markets. A total of 800 medical convoys and 2,000 ambulances also participated to get to all children, especially in rural and remote areas. The convoys took to streets, stopping at homes and calling in microphones for parents to bring their children to be given the vaccine. The vaccination is free of charge.

The last polio case was detected in Egypt in 2004, and in 2006 the World Health Organization announced Egypt free from the virus.