More than 65,000 children in the province of Tshopo are not vaccinated or are insufficiently vaccinated. 101,000 others have not completed their vaccination schedule, the Expanded Vaccination Program (EPI) in the Tshopo province revealed on Monday January 20.
During an interview with Radio Okapi, the provincial coordinator of the PEV, Stéphane Itekama, evokes several causes which are at the basis of the under-vaccination of children in Tshopo. These include insecurity, flooding and the intensification of mining activities in certain areas.
In terms of insecurity, the territories of Opala, Ubundu, Lubunga and the Yakusu health zone are the most affected because of the bloody Mbole-Lengola conflict.
There is also the Opienge region in the Bafwasende territory, which is plagued by recurring clashes between armed groups.
The destruction of several health structures and the movement of residents did not facilitate the carrying out of vaccination activities, declares the EPI coordinator in Tshopo.
-Doctor Stéphane Itekama also mentions the inaccessibility of certain areas, due to the flooding of large rivers downstream of the river. He deplores the consequences of under-vaccinating children:
“There is an emergence of diseases preventable by vaccination. This year we have reported six cases of polio, epidemics of measles…”
Although dependent on financial and material support from the Government’s technical and financial partners, the EPI asks political and administrative authorities to become more involved in health activities in order to improve vaccination coverage.
Health
