Australia will fund anti-polio vaccinations in Papua New Guinea

Australia Pacific Minister Pat Conroy said that his country will spend 5 million dollars to support anti-polio vaccinations in Papua New Guinea. Earlier this month, the Pacific country declared an outbreak of the disease after traces of poliovirus type 2 were found in stool specimens of two children. According to Conroy, Australia will fund vaccination efforts through the World Health Organization (WHO) to reach three million children.
Vaccination rates in Papua New Guinea are estimated at just 44%, creating the conditions for potential outbreaks. Polio primarily affects children and is often asymptomatic. In some cases, it can result in paralysis and even death. A global campaign in recent decades has almost eradicated the disease worldwide, with only a few countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, where it is still endemic.