Committee says Polio Eradication Remains High Priority Of Ministry Of Health

Addis Ababa, May 21(ENA)-- Polio eradication initiative remains a high priority of the Ministry of Health and partner agencies in Ethiopia, a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Polio Eradication In Ethiopia said.

Increasing trained human resources at all levels, improving monitoring and supervision, extension of static and outreach sites, strengthening management of vaccines and logistics, strengthening partnerships and resource mobilization were strategies used to try to routines EPI performance Tag said.

In a recommendation it passed on Friday after its third regular meeting held here from 20-21 May, 2004, TAG said given the increased transmission of wild poliovirus in Africa, there is a significant risk wild poliovirus importation in to Ethiopia.

TAG said it is critical that population immunity in Ethiopia is boosted urgently through the implementation of high-quality nationwide Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs).

It said remaining challenges to Polio eradication include an acute funding gap, declining surveillance quality, difficult terrain, poor infrastructure and increasing risk of WPV importations, particularly in the context of increased WPV transmission in the Africa region.

TAG meeting reviewed progress towards polio eradication, the status of implementation of polio eradication strategies and identified eradication.