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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter

The National Polio Vaccination Campaign which was launched yesterday and ends on Sunday, is targeting at least 95 percent of the estimated 2,5 million children under five years.

Speaking at the launch in Harare, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro said the national vaccination drive is being implemented in collaboration with Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique.

“In the spirit of leaving no one behind, the Ministry together with partners World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF will deploy teams to conduct door-to-door mobilisation and vaccination across the country,” posted the Ministry on Twitter.

World Health Organization (WHO)

In Bulawayo, the vaccination campaign will today be rolled out at all Municipal Clinics, Central hospitals, Mater Dei hospital, private surgeries, crèches, primary schools, market places, bus termini and other public places while other teams will be doing door to door.

The second phase of the programme will be held from December 1 to 4.

Recently the Ministry of Health and Child care said it was concerned by an outbreak of polio disease in neighbouring countries and children under five years are at high risk of contracting polio.

Malawi and Mozambique have recorded polio cases hence the vaccination campaign.

Poliovirus is very contagious and spreads through person-to-person contact. It lives in an infected person’s throat and intestines. It can contaminate food and water in unsanitary conditions.

It spreads through contact with the faeces of an infected person and droplets from a sneeze or cough of an infected person.