Govt allocates 6bn/- for polio vaccination campaign

MWANZA: THE government has allocated 6bn/- to finance a polio vaccination campaign, targeting over 6.7 million children across seven regions, in a renewed effort to strengthen immunity against the disease.

Launching the campaign yesterday in Kisesa Ward, Magu District, Geita Regional Commissioner, Mr Martine Shigela, said the exercise aims to protect children, particularly those under the age of 10, against polio.

“The disease is mainly transmitted through poor hygiene, particularly contact with human waste,” he said, adding that vaccination is essential for protecting the children.

The campaign, which began on March 24, will run until March 27, covering Mwanza, Shinyanga, Geita, Simiyu, Mara, Singida and Tabora regions.

Mr Shigela said the exercise is intended to boost children’s immunity following reports of polio cases in neighbouring countries. He called on parents and guardians to ensure their children are vaccinated, emphasising that the vaccine is safe and does not affect children’s growth.

“Let us not allow misinformation. This vaccine has been verified by experts and is safe,” he stressed.

Mr Shigela added that Tanzania has made significant progress in controlling polio, with the last reported case recorded in 1996. In the first phase of the campaign, Mwanza Region is expected to vaccinate more than 1.2 million children, with the second round scheduled between May 7 and May 10 this year.

Chief Medical Officer, Dr Grace Magembe, said the government has deployed 14,000 teams nationwide to administer the vaccine.

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“Vaccination services will be available at health centres, dispensaries and district hospitals, as well as in public gathering places such as markets, mosques and churches,” she said.

Despite the progress made, Dr Magembe warned that the risk of polio remains due to its presence in other parts of the world, making early vaccination critical.

She said the vaccine has long been part of routine immunisation services provided at health facilities across the country.

“Mothers are witnesses that newborns are given oral drops before being discharged from hospital,” she said.

Dr Magembe added that polio can spread rapidly among children, underscoring the need to vaccinate as many as possible to prevent outbreaks. A representative from the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Florence Tinuga, said the campaign presents an important opportunity for high-risk regions to protect children under 10.

She called on health workers to ensure all targeted children are reached and stressed that polio has no cure, making vaccination the only effective means of prevention. Mwanza Regional Administrative Secretary, Mr Balandya Elikana, said Magu District alone is targeting more than 140,000 children during the campaign.