SYDNEY, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea authorities are ramping up polio vaccination for children in the major capital district, amid transport issues hampering latest efforts to improve the immunization rate following a recent outbreak of the disease, according to local media.
The overall vaccination plan was targeted at schools and clinics but the medical teams were "restricted to certain areas" and have since been in full force starting on Tuesday, the national newspaper quoted vaccination coordinator Morimai Ipai as saying.
The latest immunization campaign is set to last till Oct. 8 in settlements, schools, bus stops, market places and other public areas, focusing on all children up to 15 years old. More than 70,000 children are expected to be vaccinated.
"All parents and caregivers must bring their children to those designated sites with or without their clinic books because our aim is to vaccinate as many children as possible and have them protected," Ipai said.
Health authorities across the country have in recent months been rolling out mass vaccination against the disease, which is known to cause lifetime paralysis in children, following an outbreak that has since been brought under control.
