Angola has launched the first round of its National Polio Vaccination Campaign, targeting 6,852,372 children under the age of five across all 326 municipalities. The official launch took place in Camama, Luanda province, and was attended by national, provincial, and municipal authorities, along with representatives from the United Nations System and international partners.
The campaign comes in response to 14 confirmed poliovirus cases this year in the provinces of Benguela, Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Huambo, Huila, and Bié. Although Angola eliminated wild poliovirus in 2011, and this was officially confirmed in 2015, the circulation of the disease globally and the detection of new cases locally necessitate urgent action.
Dr. Carlos Alberto Pinto de Sousa, Secretary of State for Public Health, emphasized the urgency of the campaign, noting that more than 50,000 health professionals and volunteers have been mobilized to ensure that no child is left unvaccinated. The campaign involves 15,389 vaccination teams supervised by 3,974 technicians who will visit homes, markets, churches, and bus stops from August 15 to 17 to administer two drops of the oral polio vaccine to each child. A second round is scheduled for September 5-7 to reinforce protection and interrupt virus transmission.
Dr. Hege Wagan, Acting Representative of the United Nations System in Angola, described the campaign as a national movement of hope and responsibility, stressing the importance of reaching even the most remote areas and strengthening routine immunization and epidemiological surveillance.
The Ministry of Health, together with partners such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, and the CDC, urged families to welcome vaccinators and ensure that children under five receive their doses, even if previously vaccinated. The campaign underscores that eradicating polio is achievable, but it requires full participation from every family to secure a polio-free future.
