Third polio round due next month

JAKARTA: Indonesia plans to hold a third round of nationwide polio vaccinations next month in a bid to ensure that the country meet its target of being completely free from polio by 2008.

Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari said on Wednesday that the government wants to reach as many children under five years of age as possible.

The government is currently waiting for an assessment from the World Health Organization on the implementation of the first two rounds of polio vaccinations in August and September respectively.

The first anti-polio drive was considered quite successful, with 95 percent of the 23.31 million targeted children being vaccinated.

Siti said that the second round in September was also successful, with some 94.85 percent of the 23.6 million targeted children receiving anti-polio vaccine. --Antara