By Vasinatta Yama – EMTV News, Mt Hagen
The Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority brought together Pastors from different denominations and taught them about the Polio disease. Pastors were given seminars about hygiene and were urged to go back to their churches and educate their congregation.
Last Friday, Pastors from different denominations gathered at Holy Trinity, outside Mt Hagen and were told to preach the gospel in their churches, as well as educating their church members about polio and ways to prevent contracting the disease.
Polio is a deadly disease that has no cure. It can paralyse someone or kill.
For prevention, people are urged to drink clean water, look after their hygiene and health and live in clean environments.
The first case of polio that was discovered in August in Western Highlands Province, was from a 9 year old boy who travelled from Porgera in Enga Province, seeking medical assistance at Mt Hagen General Hospital.
Western Highlands Provincial Health Authority managed to vaccine 91 percent of the total population of children under the age of 5 years old, in Western Highlands in its first round of vaccinations.
The second and third rounds will be in October and November, and will be given to children 15 years and below.