President Kiir appeals for complete eradication of polio disease in south Sudan
November 2, 2010 (JUBA) – General Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President of the Republic and President of the Government of Southern Sudan on Tuesday appealed for complete eradication poliomyelitis (polio) in South Sudan.
He urged all citizens and parents to make sure that all children under five years receive the two oral drops of the polio vaccine to keep the disease out of the region.
“As citizens and as parents of our children, we must make efforts to ensure polio is eradicated completely in south Sudan through vaccination, the eradication of this disease is not one man or woman’s responsibility. It is a collective responsibility that we all owe our children the right to a healthy and polio free future”, said President Kiir.
The President made the appeal in a presidential a statement release to the media on the launch of a campaign by government of south Sudan under theme “kick polio, the crippling disease, out of Southern Sudan.”
Over four days health officials will attempt to give the polio vaccine to all children across the 10 states of Southern Sudan.
He called upon all state governors, chiefs, religious and community leaders as well as the humanitarian and development organizations working in the states to support the campaign by all means possible.
The President also appealed to the health workers to do their job diligently and visit every corner of the region to ensure that all children vaccinated.
“As government, we have the responsibility to ensure that every child is reached by our out health coverage. The health workers should make every effort to ensure that no child is left out immunization campaign,” said president Kiir.
Polio is a disease that permanently cripples its victims, but it is also a disease that can be prevented if all children under the age of five are vaccinated.
The President said that he was encouraged by the progress already made in the efforts to eradicate the disease from Southern Sudan.
He said that between 2008 and June 2009 there was a polio outbreak in which 64 children contracted the disease.
However, the no polio case has been reported within the borders of Southern Sudan for the past 16 months, Kiir said.
“We have come a long way and cannot allow any reversal of our modest gains in the last one year; the fight must continue until the polio virus is totally eradicated from South Sudan. Together, we can kick polio out of Southern Sudan”, the President concluded.
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AUGUSTINO DENG
President Kiir appeals for complete eradication of polio disease in south Sudan
By the way, it is a good idea to eradicate polio disease in South Sudan as the Southern Sudan President Salva Kiir Miyardit said it. However, Salva Kiir Miyardit needs to stop from jumping to a stage in which he is not even entitled for. First of all, if I asked Salva Kiir Miyardit about the cause of the Polio, I hope he will not thoroughly explain it to me. Therefore, the indication topic above which is “Eradication of Polio Disease in South Sudan” need to be exercised by the Minister of Health who know what Polio means and how it affect people. Let our leaders not just jump to the position in which they are not expected to hold. There are some others things in Southern Sudan that needs to be negotiated politically, but Salva Kiir Miyardit fail to sort them out one by one because of his “Micro Politic”.
It seems like Salva Kiir Miyardit is sharing two positions right now which is the position of Health Service Department and the position of President. It is good for Salva Kiir Miyardit to give chances to others people who specialized in the treatment of diseases instead of combining a position of Health Service to a politic. Well, if Salva Kiir Miyardit talk about Polio Disease, then what will the Minister of Health does?
I hope that Salva Kiir Miyardit should know the different between the position of the President and the position of the Minister of Health.
By Augustino Deng. Jiech la mer from Tharpam.