dyton mupawaenda
Health Reporter
ZIMBABWE is continuing the vaccination programme against polio with the second round resuming yesterday and expected to reach over four million children under 10 years. This is to ensure they are immune and safe from the strain of the virus that has emerged.
The second round follows the successful first programme carried out in February using the new oral polio vaccine type 2.
The vaccine roll-out is in response to an outbreak of a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus variant detected in Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries.
Children under 10 years in Zimbabwe are at high risk of contracting the dangerous infection, hence the periodic rounds of polio vaccination.
Polio is a highly infectious disease which attacks the body’s nervous system and can sometimes attack the nerves in the spine leading to paralysis.
Ministry of Health and Child Care public relations officer Mr Donald Mujiri said the campaign was targeting 4 206 013 children under the age of 10.
“This campaign builds on the success of the first round which concluded on February 23, exceeding its target of vaccinating over 4,6 million children under the age of 10.
“Trained health teams will visit homes, schools and markets across the country to administer the nOPV2 vaccine directly to children under 10 years.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care calls on all parents and caregivers to ensure their children are vaccinated during the second round of the nOPV2 campaign and also to ask health workers any questions they may have about the vaccine,” he said.
Mr Mujiri encouraged the public to continue practicing good hygiene, including frequent hand-washing to prevent the spread of polio and other diseases.
The vaccination of children using the nOPV2 vaccine is an effective way to protect children under 10 years by increasing specific immunity against this variety of the virus until the threat is over.
Zimbabwe is collaborating with six other countries in the region: Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia. All are conducting similar vaccination campaigns to protect children.
Online Reporter