Burkina Faso launches polio vaccination drive across seven regions
In collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Health has initiated a critical polio immunization campaign spanning seven regions of the country. This initiative aims to protect over 2 million children under the age of five from the highly contagious viral infection.
Campaign timeline and target regions
The vaccination drive, which began on September 18, 2020, is scheduled to run until September 21. It targets children in the following regions:
- Plateau Central
- Centre
- Centre-Nord
- Centre-Ouest
- Centre-Sud
- Est
- Centre-Est
Addressing polio resurgence amid COVID-19 challenges
The campaign comes at a crucial time as Burkina Faso faces renewed polio threats. A confirmed poliovirus case was detected in January 2020 in the Ouargaye health district, prompting an immediate localized vaccination response in the Centre-Est region. However, the COVID-19 pandemic subsequently disrupted these efforts.
James Mugaju, UNICEF’s Deputy Representative in Burkina Faso, highlighted the impact of COVID-19 on immunization services: “The pandemic caused temporary suspension of vaccination campaigns, leading to gaps in service delivery and a rise in epidemic-prone diseases like polio.”
In June 2020, the national disease surveillance system identified nine new polio cases and over 600 instances of acute flaccid paralysis—a condition potentially linked to polio.
Mobilization and safety measures
To ensure comprehensive coverage, UNICEF has:
- Procured and distributed 2.29 million vaccine doses
- Engaged over 5,000 community mobilizers and health workers for door-to-door vaccination
- Provided 39,500 masks and 26,500 hand sanitizer bottles to maintain COVID-19 safety protocols
The teams will visit households to register, sensitize families, and administer the polio vaccine to children aged 0–59 months.
Call for collective action
“UNICEF and WHO remain fully committed to ending polio in Burkina Faso,” stated Mugaju. “We urge local authorities, community leaders, and parents to support vaccination teams. Polio remains a threat to children’s health—we must eliminate this disease from our country.”
He further emphasized the importance of vaccination amidst security challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic: “With healthcare access declining due to these crises, it’s vital to intensify efforts to reach every child and protect them from vaccine-preventable diseases.”
Understanding polio and its risks
Polio (poliomyelitis) is a highly infectious viral disease primarily affecting young children. It spreads through contaminated water or food and can lead to paralysis by attacking the nervous system. While Burkina Faso was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2015, it now faces outbreaks linked to other poliovirus forms, placing it among 15 African countries reporting paralysis cases.
Next steps: October vaccination campaign
A follow-up vaccination campaign is planned for early October 2020 to expand coverage to nine regions, including:
- Plateau Central
- Centre
- Centre-Nord
- Centre-Ouest
- Centre-Sud
- Est
- Centre-Est
- Sahel
- Nord