Cyclists participated in the ‘Ride to End Polio’ cycling event held near Kandawgyi Lake in Yangon yesterday to mark World Polio Day 2018.
Attending the event were Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, Deputy Minister for Health and Sports Dr. Mya Lay Sein and Yangon Region Social Affairs Minister U Naing Ngan Lin. Hundreds of people took part in the cycling event which commemorates the 6th annual World Polio Day 2018.
Myanmar reported the last instance of the polio virus in May 2007. The polio virus, which is transmitted via human excrement, attacks the nervous system and “can cause irreversible paralysis within hours”. Young children are the most vulnerable.
The Ministry of Health and Sports responded very strongly to the prevention of the virus by implementing Sub-National Immunization Day (SNID)/ National Immunization Day (NID) rounds to prevent the virus spreading further into other states and regions.
World Polio Day is celebrated on 24 October to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
