Zambia launches Polio vaccination

Leonard Ncube, Online Reporter

ZAMBIA has today rolled out vaccination against polio targeting children below eight years, including those crossing from Zimbabwe and other countries.

This comes as the northern neighbour recorded a case of polio, and as the contagious disease continues to affect the region.

Zimbabwe launched a National Polio Vaccination Campaign last year targeting at least 95 percent of the estimated 2,5 million children under five years and the exercise was implemented in collaboration with Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.

Another national vaccination outreach in Zimbabwe will be launched in October, the Ministry of Health and Child Care has said.

“Kindly be advised of a polio vaccination campaign happening in Zambia from 31 August to 3 September 2023. All children in Zambia from 0 to 8 years will be vaccinated including those who are visiting or crossing the border during this period,” read a statement sent through the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

Hwange District Medical Officer Dr. Fungayi Musinami said the campaign is part of a regional response to outbreaks of polio globally and within the region.

She said Zimbabwe will be implementing a similar exercise in October on dates to be confirmed.

Poliovirus is very contagious and spreads through person-to-person contact. It lives in an infected person’s throat and intestines.

It can contaminate food and water in unsanitary conditions.

It spreads through contact with the feces of an infected person and droplets from a sneeze or cough of an infected person.