Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Health Reporter
THE City of Mutare, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC), has reported a positive response to the first round of the oral polio vaccination campaign.
Principal corporate communications officer, Mr Charles Sadondo, said health teams were deployed at clinics, in communities, and across busy public spaces to ensure all eligible children were reached.
He credited residents’ cooperation for the smooth rollout.
“The turnout was good at our clinics and in communities. Parents were forthcoming and receptive, which is encouraging because vaccination works best when communities participate fully. We appreciate the support shown by families across the city,” said Mr Sadondo.
Vaccination teams operated from municipal clinics, while mobile units moved through residential suburbs, churches, bus termini, marketplaces, and the Central Business District (CBD).
Children who received the vaccine had their fingernails marked as proof of immunisation.
The first round, which ran from Monday to Thursday, targeted all children aged 0–59 months with the novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) as part of Zimbabwe’s ongoing outbreak response.
A second round is scheduled for June.
The campaign was conducted nationwide, with provincial health teams deployed in urban centres, border districts, and rural communities to prevent the spread of polio following outbreaks in neighbouring countries.
Mr Sadondo said turnout during the four day exercise was encouraging, with parents and guardians responding positively.
“The City of Mutare Health Services Department, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, conducted the first round of the Polio vaccination campaign from April 20 to 23. This initiative was prompted by recent polio outbreaks in neighbouring countries, and is being implemented as part of a wider national response,” he said.
Mr Sadondo said local authorities adopted a broad outreach strategy to ensure that no child was missed.
“Our teams were not only stationed at clinics. They were also mobile, moving through communities, churches, bus stations, marketplaces and the CBD. Wherever children were found, our teams were vaccinating them,” he said.
He said routine immunisation services at clinics continued as normal during the campaign period.
“As a nation, we must work together to prevent the devastating effects of this disease through vaccination.
“Polio is a highly infectious disease with no cure. The only effective way to protect children is through multiple doses of the vaccine,” he said.
Mr Sadondo urged parents and guardians who may have missed the first round to prepare for the second phase.
“We encourage all parents to remain alert for the next round and continue cooperating with health teams.
“Every child vaccinated strengthens community protection,” he said.
When The Manica Post visited the City Clinic on Wednesday, parents queued with their children as nurses and vaccinators administered the oral drops.
The process moved quickly, with many parents commending the organisation of the exercise.
Mrs Vimbai Mukuwe, who brought her toddler for vaccination, said the process was efficient and stress-free.
“I was assisted very quickly. The nurses were organised and the line moved fast. This was helpful for mothers who come with small children,” she said.
Another parent, Mrs Rutendo Chikafu, said she was pleased with the professionalism shown by the health workers.
“The process was smooth and simple. We did not spend a lot of time waiting, and the staff explained everything clearly. It is important for us to bring our children because prevention is better than treatment,” she said.
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects young children and can cause irreversible paralysis.
In severe cases, it can affect breathing muscles and become life-threatening. Although there is no cure, vaccination remains the most effective means of prevention.
Zimbabwe has in recent years intensified supplementary immunisation activities in response to regional outbreaks, with authorities aiming to maintain high population immunity among children under five.
The use of nOPV2 in the current campaign is part of global efforts to strengthen protection against circulating type 2 poliovirus outbreaks.
