Round 4 of polio vaccination set for next week

Fungai Lupande

Mashonaland Central Bureau

Mashonaland Central Provincial Medical Director, Dr Clemence Tshuma has called on all stakeholders to promote the uptake of polio vaccines as the fourth round of the vaccination programme has been scheduled for February 4 to 7.

Dr Tshuma said this during a stakeholder sensitisation meeting on Tuesday.

He said some individuals are scuttling Government efforts in fighting polio by discouraging vaccination of children under the age of 10.

This follows incidents in Bindura’s Mupandira, Matope, and Foothills Suburbs where some members of religious sects reportedly barred their members from getting their children vaccinated during the third round of polio vaccination last year.

“We kindly ask these people to step aside and allow people to make their own informed decisions.”

He encouraged parents to understand that the polio vaccination programme is beneficial to them and the country at large as it ensures the health of children.

Expanded Programme on Immunisation officer Mrs Scholastica Muparutsa said they will reach out to children at home and in playgrounds.

“Our target is to vaccinate 411 967 children under the age of 10, including new-borns. We are training village healthcare workers to identify early signs of limb function loss in children,” she said.