Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, in collaboration with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, has announced a nationwide polio vaccination campaign scheduled from February 4 to 7, 2025. This initiative aims to immunise all children below 10 years of age against the poliovirus.
In a statement the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, emphasised the critical importance of this campaign, stating, “Vaccination is our primary strategy to mitigate potential importation of the disease into the country.
Adequate doses of polio vaccines have been procured and together with all other campaign resources have been prepositioned in all provinces, districts and health facilities,” he added
Dr. Mombeshora also addressed recent health concerns, stating, “The detection of cVDPV2 is a serious concern, but we are prepared to respond swiftly and effectively.
The Ministry, in partnership with organisations, such as UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, remains committed to safeguarding the health of Zimbabwe’s children through these vaccination efforts. No polio case has been reported in Zimbabwe, which underscores the need to intensify these collaborative polio response activities,”Minister Mombeshora added
Health experts underscore the significance of such campaigns. Dr. Khalid Abdelrahim, Global Polio Eradication Initiative Coordinator in Zimbabwe, remarked, “The number of children reached during these rounds of polio campaigns is encouraging, and with increased immunisations and continued commitment of health leaders and partners, we are confident that we will soon see an end to all forms of polio in the region.”
This marks Zimbabwe’s fifth round of polio vaccinations since 2022, following outbreaks in neighboring countries. The initial two rounds in 2022 targeted children under five, while subsequent campaigns expanded to include all children under 10. The most recent campaign, conducted in February 2024, successfully vaccinated over 4 million children.
The upcoming campaign will employ a door-to-door vaccination strategy, with health workers visiting homes, schools, markets, and bus stations to ensure comprehensive coverage. Parents and caregivers are urged to ensure their children receive the vaccine, regardless of their previous immunisation status, to bolster community-wide immunity.
