Government has rolled out polio vaccination campaign with a target to vaccinate 2.9 million children within a period of four months.
This follows the declaration of public health emergency on 17 February 2022, following a polio case registered in Lilongwe, Area 24 township.
Speaking during the launch in Lilongwe, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda described polio as a disabling disease that has no cure.
She said, apart from the irreversible paralysis, polio can also take a life.
“So the only solution to dealing with Polio is through the vaccine, hence this strategy we have launched today. We are going to give four rounds of vaccine to our children aged between 0 to 5 year old,” said Chiponda.
Chiponda further stressed that the children will be given the vaccine which is oral drop once every four weeks for four months.
On his part, Rudolf Schwenk, UNICEF Representative to Malawi expressed commitment to continue working with the Malawi government inorder to ensure effective implementation of the Polio response Plan.
“UNICEF has already procured and distributed 6.9 million doses of Polio vaccines to all 28 districts and 865 health facilities for the nationwide Polio campaigns.”
“Every child has the right to be safe and secure, healthy and protected, as well as educated and able to pursue their dreams. We cannot afford to let polio limit their opportunities,” said Schwenk.
Also speaking during the function, Janet Kayita, World Health Organization representative expressed hope that with the four rounds vaccination Malawi will be able to halt the spread of polio.
Polio is a disease that has resurfaced in Malawi as records show Polio was last registered in 1992. It can be transmitted through water or food.
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