Polio vaccination blitz rolled out in Manicaland
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care is targeting to vaccinate 614 281 children in Manicaland during the second round polio vaccination exercise that kicked off early this week and ending today (Friday).
The campaign is targeting children between zero and 10 years.
They are being vaccinated with the novel OPV type two (nOPV2) vaccine.
Manicaland provincial health and promotions officer, Mrs Agnes Mugumbate said the campaign seeks to mop up all children who missed the first round of polio vaccination.
“The vaccination process is proceeding smoothly, with all efforts being made to reach even the most remote parts of the province so that we can meet our target,” she said.
Mrs Mugumbate said unlike the first round, there were no reports of parents resisting having their children immunised against polio.
“This shows that our communities have been well sensitised, and ready to protect their children from the virus. The door-to-door campaigns previously conducted are bearing fruit as parents are welcoming our teams. This is a seal of approval to Government’s efforts to protect children from various diseases. This is good for their children.
“We are progressing smoothly and looking forward to meeting our targets even in districts like Buhera and Chimanimani which previously had the highest number of vaccine objectors. About 95 percent of the targets were vaccinated in February in the two districts,” she said.
The province missed its first round target by 9 783 after recording a success rate of 98.4 percent.
Polio incident manager, Mrs Colline Chigodo said nationally the campaign has immunised four million children.
“The major objective for vaccinating children is to protect them from the poliomyelitis virus. This is because there is an ongoing transmission in the country and in the region. It was detected within Harare.
“There is need for parents and guardians to bring their children for vaccination if they are in that target age group so that they are protected from the disease,” she said.
Through routine environmental surveillance, several cases of circulating poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) were detected in sewage samples collected in Harare.
Additionally, through intensified disease surveillance, the Ministry of Health and Child Care identified a single human case of polio in Mashonaland West.
Mrs Chigodo said without urgent action, there is a high risk of the disease spreading, hence the vaccination blitz by the ministry.