On World Polio Day, observed annually on October 24, the Syrian Ministry of Health reaffirmed its ongoing efforts to keep the country free of the disease by strengthening vaccination campaigns, preventive measures, and epidemiological surveillance.
Comprehensive Preventive Measures
Dr. Turki Al-Daher, Director of the National Vaccine Program at the Ministry of Health, explained that the ministry is implementing plans to maintain Syria's polio-free status by enhancing routine immunization, developing epidemiological surveillance systems, and intensifying community awareness.
Al-Daher noted that the ministry provides both the oral (bOPV) and inactivated (IPV) polio vaccines free of charge as part of the national immunization program through fixed health centers and mobile teams, with a focus on reaching unvaccinated children and remote areas.
Continuous Monitoring and Previous Campaigns
Al-Daher stated that efforts include continuous monitoring of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases and the implementation of a zero-reporting weekly system, alongside periodic environmental surveillance of wastewater samples to detect early signs of the virus.
Previously, the Ministry of Health, supported by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and funded by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (Gavi), launched a vaccination campaign from March 31 to April 26, 2026, targeting approximately 900,000 children across 19 districts in four governorates.
Virus Risks and Global Statistics
Poliovirus infection primarily occurs when the virus enters the body through the mouth, resulting from consuming food or water contaminated with feces from an infected person, or through direct contact with their respiratory secretions.
According to the World Health Organization, the disease primarily affects children under the age of five. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis, and 5 to 10 percent of those paralyzed die.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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