THE second round of the polio vaccination programme started countrywide yesterday targeting children aged five and below and it will run until Sunday.
In Bulawayo the exercise is being conducted at all council clinics, central hospitals among other health centres.
The first round of vaccination exercise in the country ran from October 27 to October 30 this year.
The country last recorded a polio case in 1989 and by 2005 the disease had been eradicated.
However, polio has resurfaced in neighbouring Malawi and Mozambique resulting in a collaborative polio vaccination drive being implemented in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique.
In October, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care announced the launch of the vaccination campaign stating it would protect at least 95 percent of the 2,5 million children under five years in the country.
Speaking after a brief tour of Victoria Falls Hospital yesterday, Vice-President General (Retired) Dr Constantino Chiwenga said Government had declared December 1, World Aids Day, as the start of a mop-up nationwide polio vaccination exercise.
“There is a programme which is happening countrywide and we would want everyone to get vaccinated so that as we go into the festive season everybody will enjoy and not have processions going to graveyards,” said Dr Chiwenga.
“We are carrying out the polio immunisation and Covid-19 vaccination programmes concurrently. We are also celebrating World Aids Day where the message to the nation and to our people is that they must observe ethical things as the disease is not yet over. We are currently fighting to meet fully our 95-95-95 targets,” said Dr Chiwenga.
In a statement, Bulawayo Health Services Director, Dr Edwin Sibanda said all children must be vaccinated for extra protection against polio.
“Vaccine will be given in all Municipal clinics, Central hospitals, Mater Dei Hospital, private surgeries offering vaccination, crèches, primary schools, market places, churches, bus termini and outreach points including house to house vaccinations,” he said.
In the Midlands province, health promotion officers are using megaphones to announce to parents about the polio disease, their mission and the benefits of vaccination.
When a parent or guardian arrives with a child, the team holds a brief health talk and then asks for permission to administer the vaccination dose to the child.
Midlands Provincial Medical Director Dr Mary Muchekeza said health workers are vaccinating all children below the age of five including newborn babies and those who were vaccinated in the first round in October.
She said they are aiming at vaccinating at least 95 percent of the children by Sunday with mop-up teams expected to continue later.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care launched the mass campaign aimed at vaccinating and protecting all children under the age of five in the country against polio.
“This is the second round that started on December 1 and is expected to end on December 4. But we are aware that there are areas that are hard to reach like in Gokwe North and South and there are teams that will go into those areas past December 4,” she said.
Dr Muchekeza said polio is a dangerous disease which causes paralysis and death, particularly among children.
“That is why it is targeted for eradication globally. Polio is a dangerous disease which causes debilitating paralysis and death, particularly among children and we are not leaving any child unvaccinated,” she said.
Dr Muchekeza said no polio case has been reported in the Midlands province or the country at large so far.
“The Government is using the vaccination programme as a strategy to mitigate potential importation of the disease.
“Common signs and symptoms include muscle or joint weakness and pain, fatigue, muscle wasting, and sleep-related breathing disorders. If a child starts feeling like this please visit the nearest health facility,” she said.
Midlands provincial nursing officer Mr Diamond Matiyenga said teams will also conduct door-to-door mobilisation and vaccination in all districts during the four campaign days.
“Mobilisation has been done and we will still continue doing that. We have teams in Gokwe North and South, Mberengwa,
Zvishavane, Kwekwe, Shurugwi, Chirumhanzu and Mvuma districts and we are calling on parents and guardians to take their children to the nearest vaccination point for the benefit of the child,” he said.
Mr Matiyenga said the vaccination programme is being done through administering supplementary doses of oral polio vaccine. – The Chronicle
