By Catherine Murombedzi
Harare- THE Ministry of Health and Child Care is on a nationwide polio immunisation campaign.
In conjunction with all city and rural authorities, stakeholders and partners, the first phase of the vaccination campaign kicked off on the October 27 and runs to October 30.
Vaccination is available any clinic and is free of charge.
Officials said one simply need to carry baby card along for history.
The health officials further advised that even if your under 5-year-old child is fully vaccinated, it is necessary to get this supplementary polio vaccination.
● Why having a supplementary vaccination campaign?
Mozambique and Malawi recently reported polio cases, with four cases in Malawi. This has activated the regional polio campaign which begins in Zimbabwe, with neighbouring countries also carrying out the exercises in their countries on other dates.
Supplementary vaccination is necessary to mop up missed children and to boost the immunity which could not have been achieved for various reasons when your child was vaccinated. (sero conversion) It is necessary to get your child vaccinated again during the supplementary vaccination campaign.
The vaccination is through drops in the mouth. There is no risk to your child.
The Deputy Minister in the MoHCC, Dr John Mangwiro officially launched the campaign in Harare.
“Today, we officially launch a mass campaign to vaccinate and protect all children under the age of five years in Zimbabwe against polio. The national polio vaccination drive which we launch today is being implemented in close collaboration with four other countries in the region namely Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia,” said Dr Mangwiro, addressing the media in Harare.
In the last two years, COVID-19 interrupted the health delivery system with immunisation programmes not spared.
The second phase of the vaccination campaign will be from 1 December to the 4th, 2022.
Zimbabwe last recorded a polio case in 1989. The robust primary prevention saw the World Health Organisation declaring the country polio free in 2005.
Immunisation is a primary prevention pillar to health in which the country’s coverage is impressive.
Mobile vaccination teams are also available from some shopping centres, with some going out to the hard to reach areas.
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus.
The virus spreads from person to person from contaminated stools or water and can infect a person’s spinal cord, causing paralysis.
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