Nkhotakota District to Launch Polio Vaccination Campaign Amidst Preparedness
The upcoming campaign in Nkhotakota marks the sixth polio vaccination campaign since 2022 and the second in 2023, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat the disease.
Nkhotakota, Malawi - The Nkhotakota District Health Office has called for proactive measures as the district prepares to initiate a polio vaccination campaign commencing on Wednesday next week, writes Fletcher Chiponda.
During a presentation to the District Executive Committee (DEC), Lillian Chimbayo, the Nkhotakota District Health Environmental Officer, confirmed that the district is well-equipped and ready to commence polio vaccine administration on September 13th.
"As the district health office, we are fully prepared for the campaign scheduled to start on Wednesday, September 13th. We have an ample supply of vaccines in stock, and all necessary supplies have been distributed across the district. We anticipate a successful campaign. In previous rounds, we encountered refusals due to cultural beliefs and concerns about excessive vaccinations. This time, we call upon the community members to be proactive in mobilising their peers to ensure that no one is left behind," Chimbayo stated.
Bright Kankhuni, the Expanded Program Immunization (EPI) officer and National Supervisor from the Ministry of Health acknowledged that Nkhotakota District has faced challenges compared to other districts in previous campaigns.
However, he expressed optimism for improvement in the upcoming campaign.
"Nkhotakota District hasn't performed as well as other districts in the past, but we hope to improve our efforts this time. We've learned valuable lessons from previous exercises, and most of the action points have been addressed and fulfilled. We expect better results," Kankhuni remarked.
It's worth noting that Malawi recorded its last polio case in 1992, with Africa being declared free of indigenous wild polio in August 2020.
However, a resurgence of the disease occurred in 2022 when a three-year-old boy in Lilongwe was diagnosed with the contagious poliovirus.
The upcoming campaign in Nkhotakota marks the sixth polio vaccination campaign since 2022 and the second in 2023, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat the disease.