From June 01 to 03, 2023, the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention and its partners are organizing a polio vaccination campaign for all children aged 0 to 59 months in the 36 health zones of Ituri province.

In Mahagi territory, the campaign was launched on Thursday, June 01, 2023 by Colonel TUMBA KALALA CLAUDE, deputy military administrator of Mahagi territory. It will last for 3 days, from Thursday, June 01 to Saturday, June 03, 2023. The ceremony took place at the Mahagi-Mission reference center in the commune of Mahagi, more than 180 km north of the town of BUNIA, capital of the province of Ituri.

Several personalities took part, including the provincial supervisor, representing the ARU Provincial Health Division in the technical support framework, Dr Robert UNENU and his colleague in charge of communication, Ms PANYIR UDONG’ Nathalie, as well as the UNICEF consultant, Ms Esther ATIMNEDI MAWA in the Mahagi health zone, civil society and others.

In his opening remarks, Dr Daniel KERAURE, Mahagi’s Zone Chief Medical Officer, explained this year’s campaign strategy to the audience.

For their part, the representatives of the provincial health division’s technical support team and its communications colleague all spoke of the good work done by the providers, but above all of the quality of their work to ensure the campaign’s total success.

For her part, the Unicef consultant in the Mahagi health zone, Ms Esther ATIMNEDI MAWA, urged parents to have their children vaccinated to protect them against the disease.

Prior to the launch of the campaign, Colonel TUMBA KALALA CLAUDE, deputy military administrator of the Mahagi territory, representing the incumbent on mission, drew the attention of those with ill intentions who spread false rumors to discourage the population from getting vaccinated.

The polio vaccination campaign is also being organized in Ituri’s 36 health zones, seven of which are located in the Mahagi territory: Mahagi, Nyarambe, Angumu, Rimba, Logo, Aungba and Kamabala.