Brazil Starts World’s Largest Mass Vaccination Against Polio

The Brazilian Ministry of Health’s goal for this year’s vaccination campaign against poliomyelitis, which causes infantile paralysis, is to vaccinate 17.3 million children 5 years old or less.

States and municipalities across the country will participate in the first phase of the campaign, tomorrow, June 11. The slogan of this year’s campaign is “Win one more, Brazil,” a reference to the victories that Brazil has already achieved in soccer and mass vaccination campaigns.


The fight against polio in Brazil is commemorating its 25th anniversary this year. The last reported case of the disease in the country occurred in 1989.


In 1994 the American continent received a certificate from the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring that the disease had been eradicated.


Even so, the coordinator of the National Immunizations Program, Luiza de Marilac Barbosa, explains that it is necessary to take the vaccine, since the disease has not been eradicated in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Eastern Mediterranean.


US$ 11.6 million (R$ 28.8 million) will be spent in the first phase of the campaign for the acquisition of 27.9 million doses of Sabin vaccine, the operationalization of the campaign, and publicity.


To vaccinate all the children, 117 thousand teams composed of government employees and volunteers will work from 8 am to 5 pm at health posts throughout the country.


The publicity campaign chosen for 2005 draws its inspiration from soccer and identifies the success of the vaccination strategy to the effort of the Brazilian population.


The publicity materials present children in soccer uniforms urging all children 5 years old or less to be vaccinated.


At least 39 thousand cars and 2.5 thousand boats will be responsible for transporting the vaccination teams around the country, including remote areas, such as municipalities in the Amazon region.


Brazil’s vaccination campaigns are considered the world’s largest mobilizations in the area of public health.


Agência Brasil

Tags:

You May Also Like

From the cover of After Life

Bruna, a Story of Rape, Drugs and Prostitution in the Streets of Brazil

The origins of After Life date back to an afternoon in 1992 when I ...

Bring the Brains Back

The strength of the real, and lower tariffs among other things, are making Brazil ...

Brazilian Businesses Call EU Offer Unacceptable

It now looks like Mercosur and the European Union will not reach a trade ...

France’s Year of Brazil Has Already Increased Brazilian Exports by 17%

According to data from the Brazilian government’s Export Promotion Agency (Apex/Brasil), for the first ...

Most Foreigners Invest in Manufacturing in Brazil

The manufacturing industry was the sector that most attracted investments to Brazil, in the ...

Brazil’s Residential Developer Gafisa Gets US$ 50 Million US Infusion

Equity International, the privately-held international real estate investment company of Sam Zell’s Equity Group ...

Brazil Says FARC Guerrillas Have Base in Brazilian Territory

According to secret Federal Police reports, extracts of which were published Sunday by daily ...

Imported Raw Fish Causes Disease and Fear in Brazil

The outbreak of cases of diphyllobothriasis (fish tapeworm), caused by eating contaminated raw fish, ...

Brazilian Indians Get Two Weeks to Sell Illegal Diamonds

November 26 marked the beginning of the removal of mining equipment from the Roosevelt ...

Brazil Breaks Territory into ‘Little Countries’ to Avoid Spread of Chicken Disease

Beginning in 2006, poultry production in Brazil is expected to adopt the model used ...