By Staff Reporter
The second round of the national polio vaccination campaign begins today with the Health and Child Care Ministry anticipating to vaccinate over 4 million children.
Polio is a dangerous disease that can cause paralysis or death of children.
The Health Ministry in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), and many partners last month started the nationwide polio vaccination campaign using the novel OPV type two (nOPV2) vaccine following the confirmation of circulating poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in Zimbabwe.
The two phased campaign aims to interrupt virus transmission and prevent further outbreaks rapidly.
The second phase of the campaign ending on 22 March will see trained health workers utilizing the door to door approach, schools, health centers, markets, churches, bus stations and other public places.
In a statement, the Health Ministry public relations officer Mr Donald Mujiri said the initial round saw them surpassing their target.
“This campaign builds on the success of the first round which concluded on the 23rd February 2024, exceeding its target of vaccinating over 4.6 million children under the age of 10,” he said.
The Ministry’s spokesperson encouraged parents and caregivers to see to it that their children get the vaccine and also to ask any questions they may have about the vaccine.
“The second round will be conducted from 19 to 22 March 2024. Trained health teams will visit homes, schools annd markets across the country to administer the nOPV 2 vaccine directly to children under 10 years old.
“The MoHCC call on all parents and caregivers to ensure their children are vaccinated during the second round of the nOPV vaccination campaign and also to ask health workers any question they may have about the vaccine.
“We urge the public to continue practising good hygiene including frequent handwashing to prevent polio and other diseases,” he said.
Household stickers and finger marking will be used to ensure all children below 10 years are visited and vaccinated.
