President and Sister Obeng Help With Polio Campaign

News Release —  6 January 2015

Children in Ghana Benefit from 2014 Polio Immunization Campaign 

In the top photo, President Obeng, 1st Counselor in the MTC presidency is 3rd from the left, in the middle photo, Sister Obeng is surrounded by her students who helped and in the bottom photo is a child receiving a polio dose.

Two rounds of synchronized polio immunizations targeting 18 countries across western and central Africa were recently held in an effort to reach millions of children with the oral polio vaccine.
Partnering with worldwide and national organizations, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped initiate and financially support the effort to raise public awareness of the campaign ‘Kick Polio Out of Ghana; Vaccinate Your Child.’  

The Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service, in collaboration with World Health Organization and UNICEF, worked with the LDS Church and Rotary International in motivating parents, guardians and caretakers of children under the age of five to have the children immunized against the crippling and deadly polio diseases.

Martin Obeng, a volunteer coordinator from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said Rotary Ghana sponsored joint meetings to plan for both the first and second rounds of the polio immunization. 

“They collaborated with the Church at every stage of the program,” said Obeng.  “Their support towards the eradication of polio in Ghana is greatly appreciated.  They were also very grateful for our help this year.” 

The Church's contributions towards the campaign included 10,000 posters and flyers, four full-page advertisements in two national newspapers, sending out one million text messages and social mobilization in the 10 regions of Ghana – all to raise awareness and encourage children’s immunization.