The Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Kwaku Boateng III, has added his voice to the campaign to fight against polio, emphasizing that the fight against the highly contagious viral disease is a collective responsibility for all.
According to him, the fight against polio is a call for a collective effort of government, health workers, opinion leaders, Nananom and others with combined efforts to raise awareness, vaccinate children, and provide essential medical resources to help eliminate the disease.
Polio, or poliomyelitis, most commonly affects children under the age of 5, causes paralysis and sometimes leads to death.
The Omanhene, Nana Kwaku Boateng III, made this known when he joined the Rotary Club to mark this year’s World Polio Day as part of efforts to end polio infections in Ghana at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
As part of activities to commemorate this year’s World Polio Day, there was an awareness walk through some principal streets and the unveiling of a billboard of the Juabenhene at Koforidua as part of efforts to raise awareness. This year’s celebration was marked in Koforidua with the theme “End Polio Now.
Speaking at the event, Nana Kwaku Boateng III said the government has chalked successes in eradicating other deadly diseases and held the firm belief that the fight against polio will be won and called on all hands on deck against the viral disease.
He urged the citizenry of New Juaben to join the race to end the polio menace and be part of this historic milestone in healthcare.
In an interview with NET2TV News, the Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Wilfred Ofosu, established that the Ghana Health Service has come very far in the quest to eradicate polio.
According to him, the Ghana Health Service still needs a lot of resources for vaccines and awareness campaigns to help them fight the menace.
The District Governor Nominee of Rotary Club Ghana and Chairperson of the Ghana National Polio Plus Committee, Nana Yaa Serebour, said awareness creation has become necessary because it is one of the most effective ways to educate citizens.
She said Ghana has performed well in the fight against polio, revealing that from 2022 until date, no case of polio has been recorded.
She noted that Rotary International will continue working to ensure public education and awareness are effective in eliminating the virus by 2026.
She acknowledged the Ghana Health Service’s challenges with funding but assured that Rotarians and other international stakeholders are working to support the GHS to win the fight against the polio virus.
She revealed that Rotary clubs throughout the world have been able to immunize over 2.5 billion children, while in Ghana, over 42 children who were affected by the virus were treated.
