Bulawayo launches third round of polio vaccination campaign

City of Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC), in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, will from tomorrow, Tuesday, 7 July, to Friday, 10 July, conduct the third round of the Synchronised Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) campaign aimed at strengthening immunity among children under the age of five and ensuring that no eligible child is left unprotected.

In a statement, Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube advised residents and stakeholders of the upcoming vaccination exercise and urged them to support the campaign.

“The City of Bulawayo would like to advise residents and stakeholders of the third round of the Synchronised Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) vaccination campaign, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, starting from Tuesday, 7 July 2026 to Friday, 10 July 2026,” he said.

Mr Dube said the campaign will be conducted across selected districts and is synchronised with Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana as part of a regional effort to interrupt the transmission of poliovirus.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects young children and can lead to irreversible paralysis. Although there is no cure for the disease, it can be effectively be prevented through vaccination.

Health authorities have therefore stressed the importance of community participation to ensure that every eligible child receives the life-saving vaccine.

Mr Dube said the third round follows the successful implementation of the first two vaccination campaigns held earlier this year and is intended to further boost immunity among young children.

“Following the successful implementation of Round 1, which was conducted from 20 to 23 April 2026, and Round 2 from 2 to 5 June 2026, Round 3 seeks to strengthen immunity among children under five years of age and ensure that no child is left unprotected. Urban centres are prioritised in outbreak response because viruses can spread quickly through dense populations and travel links.”

He noted that Bulawayo had been prioritised because it is Zimbabwe’s second-largest city, characterised by a highly mobile population and extensive transport links, factors that can increase the risk of disease transmission.

The campaign is targeting all children below the age of five, regardless of their previous vaccination status.

Vaccination teams will administer the oral vaccine free of charge at all municipal clinics, Cowdray Park Health Centre, central hospitals, Mater Dei Hospital, selected private surgeries offering vaccination services, crèches, primary schools, marketplaces, churches, bus termini and designated outreach points.

Health workers will also conduct house-to-house visits to reach children who may not be able to access fixed vaccination sites.

Mr Dube urged parents and guardians to take advantage of the campaign, emphasising that widespread vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from polio and prevent the disease from spreading within communities.