City of Harare Health Services Department has embarked on a massive Polio SIA vaccination programme aimed at combating the deadly child killer disease.
City of Harare Health Services Department has embarked on a massive Polio SIA vaccination programme aimed at combating the deadly child killer disease.
The programme which commenced on May 23 this year has seen 34 teams being deployed in different suburbs is targeting children from birth to 59 weeks.
Kuwadzana Poly Clinic Sister-in-Charge Shelly Mujira said they have deployed teams to cover enough ground in Kuwadzana.
“This week from 23-26 May we are doing a polio campaign which is aimed at vaccinating all children who are 5-years and below.
“We are going to do all children in the community with the aim to reach the target of 23 051 children in Kuwadzana.
“On a daily service we are vaccinating more than 5 000 children and this shows that we are having enough children for the day,” said Sister Mujira.
The polio vaccination campaign comes at a time when Southern Africa continues to face the threat of the deadly disease.
However the country is yet to record cases of polio, although neighbouring Mozambique and Malawi have recorded some.
Polio-virus cases have so far been reported in Malawi (one) and eight in Mozambique.
The deadly child killer disease is highly infectious and affects unimmunised or under-immunised children with high chances of paralyses in children younger than 15 years.
Parents are encouraged to have their children vaccinated as there no cure for polio.
Zimbabwe last recorded a polio case in 1989.
