Health authorities in Zvishavane District are ramping up efforts to protect children from polio, urging parents and guardians to ensure their children receive the vaccine.
Speaking to Great Dyke News, Rumbidzai Chikwanha, the Health Promotion Officer for Zvishavane District, stressed the importance of immunization in preventing the spread of the disease. She emphasized that the upcoming vaccination drive, scheduled from February 4th to 7th, targets all children under the age of ten, regardless of their previous vaccination status.
“The best way to protect children from polio is through vaccination. We are calling on all parents and guardians to ensure their children receive this crucial dose, as it strengthens immunity and helps prevent outbreaks,” Chikwanha said.
She said to maximize coverage, health teams will conduct door-to-door vaccinations, ensuring that every eligible child is reached, particularly in remote and hard-to-access areas.
Polio Threat and Response in Zimbabwe
Although polio has been nearly eradicated worldwide, the emergence of vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) remains a serious challenge, particularly in regions with low vaccination rates. In October 2023, Zimbabwe declared an outbreak of cVDPV2, after the virus was detected in environmental samples. This led to multiple nationwide vaccination campaigns using both bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) and novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to curb its spread.
Zimbabwe’s polio response is part of a broader African effort to eliminate the disease. While wild poliovirus remains endemic only in Afghanistan, vaccine-derived strains continue to pose risks in areas with gaps in routine immunization.
With polio posing a threat to unvaccinated children, health authorities in Zvishavane and across the country remain committed to achieving total eradication through sustained vaccination, surveillance, and public awareness efforts.
