File: A child receives polio vaccine in South Sudan recently | Credit | WHO

South Sudan is now free of wild poliovirus, the ministry of health has announced.

This comes a day after the independent Africa Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication officially declared the African Region free of the disease.

The World Health Organization says the achievement marks the eradication of the second virus from the continent since smallpox 40 years ago.

In South Sudan, the last infection was reported in 2009, according to the director of the Expanded Program on Immunization at the ministry.

George Daniel says subsequent field visits and analysis of the documentation of the polio surveillance, immunization and laboratory capacity over the years enabled South Sudan and other African countries to attain the polio-free status.

Despite achieving this status, Daniel reveals that the health ministry will launch another anti-polio campaign in November.

“We will vaccinate children under the age of five; and currently, there are procedures underway to follow up on suspected cases,” he stresses.

“And if there is any case, we will pick it and send it to the laboratory to confirm that South Sudan is free of polio.”

Polio is a viral disease, that is transmitted from person to person, mainly through a fecal-oral route or, less frequently, through contaminated water or food, and multiplies inside the intestines.

While there is no cure for polio, the disease can be prevented through the administration of a simple and effective vaccine.