Photo story – Ukraine completes first vaccination round following polio outbreak

03-12-2015

In response to a polio outbreak in the country, the first round of Ukraine's polio vaccination campaign targeted more than 2 million children under 6 years.

On 1 September 2015, Ukraine's Minister of Health announced that polio had been identified as the cause of paralysis in two children living in Zakarpatska oblast in south-western Ukraine. So far, no additional cases have been detected, but millions of under-immunized children in the country are at acute risk.

Oral polio vaccine is the vaccine of choice in response to outbreaks, as it not only provides individual immunity but also rapidly interrupts virus circulation in a population. A 3-round polio vaccination campaign is currently under way. The vaccine is free for all children in designated age groups.