NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr. Philp Swann flagged a direct potential threat of polio being imported into the country as he strongly encouraged parents to take their children to public clinics for vaccination.
“We have been advised that the Bahamas has a direct potential threat of polio being imported as a result of it circulating in New York and London; two cities with whom we have direct flights multiple times a week,” Swann said.
“We have had actually imported cases of pertussis and whooping cough within the past month; and in recent memory, we’ve had cases of imported measles.
“And the reality is that these formerly eradicated illnesses are making a comeback because of the low numbers of persons having had their child vaccinated, with the same vaccines they were vaccinated with when they were children.”
The Chief Medical Officer stressed that children who are not vaccinated from the reemerging diseases are more vulnerable than the vaccinated and at higher risk of becoming seriously ill or dying.
“We are seeing the rise of forgotten illnesses in developed countries, including across the world in including parts of the world called, source markets, most of the working adults are immunized […]
“It is the little children who are not being given the opportunity to receive the routine immunizations, who are at risk for serious illnesses and in some cases, death.
“Immunized adults are immune from contracting the disease, yet they can still serve as carriers and subsequently infect children and others who have not had the benefit of vaccines,” Swann said.
Swann said with polio children may experience, dizziness, fever, and neck or back pain and there is no treatment.
The doctor added that measles had similar symptoms with fever and joint aches and also headaches, redness of eyes, and brain swelling. He said babies born to women who were exposed during pregnancy can lead to birth defects such as blindness, deafness, or heart defects.
“These routine vaccines are available in-country and are available at no cost to children at any of our public community clinics,” Swann said.
