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Health Reporter
GOVERNMENT is stepping up efforts to combat polio, with the third round of the polio supplementary immunisation programme commencing today across Manicaland and running until Friday.
This follows the outbreak of the disease in Malawi and neighbouring Mozambique as health authorities leave nothing to chance in curbing its spread by rolling out the exercise.
All children below the age of five are being targeted for inoculation, regardless of their previous vaccination status.
Ministry of Health and Child Care Manicaland provincial health promotion officer Mrs Agnes Mugumbate said the exercise is being carried out in both rural and urban areas.
She urged parents and guardians to be co-operative and ensue that their children get immunised.
“As the Ministry of Health and Child Care, we are holding a polio vaccination programme targeting all children from birth to 59 months. All our health facilities across the province in rural and urban areas will offer this service between Tuesday (today) and Friday. We also have mobile teams moving from one household to another during the exercise.
“The programme will also be carried out at schools as well as other public spaces like market places and bus termini. We are encouraging all parents and guardians to bring their children within the targeted age group for polio vaccination,” she said.
Government is moving to achieve a polio immunisation target of 95 percent following the outbreak of the disease in neighbouring countries.
Online Reporter