Source: Ministry of Heath rolls out second round of polio vaccination campaign – herald
Diana Nherera
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has launched the second round of the novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) campaign, which runs from today until Friday and targets all children under the age of five.
The campaign is part of regional efforts to prevent the spread of poliovirus following the recent confirmation of an outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 in Malawi.
In a public notice, Chitungwiza Senior Health Promotion Officer Mr Obed Mukuya said the exercise would be conducted simultaneously with neighbouring countries to strengthen regional protection against the disease.
“The second-round campaign will be synchronised with Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana,” he said.
Mr Mukuya said vaccination teams would move from house to house, while others would be stationed at shopping centres, markets and other public places to ensure all eligible children are reached.
“Every child targeted (0 to 59 months) must receive two drops of nOPV2 even if the child has been previously vaccinated,” he said.
Health authorities are urging parents and guardians to ensure that all children under five years receive the vaccine, which remains the most effective protection against polio.
Mr Mukuya explained that poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio, is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children under the age of five.
“The virus is transmitted from person to person, mainly through the faecal-oral route or through contaminated water and food. It multiplies in the intestine and can affect the nervous system, causing paralysis,” he said.
Polio is a vaccine-preventable disease and can lead to lifelong disability or death in severe cases. The Ministry has therefore called on communities to cooperate with vaccination teams and support efforts to keep Zimbabwe polio-free.
The campaign forms part of ongoing regional and global initiatives aimed at eradicating polio and protecting children from preventable diseases.
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