KAGERA Region is set to vaccinate a total of 784,975 under five children in the fourth round of polio vaccination campaign.
The Regional Vaccination Coordinator, Mr Gerase Ishengoma said that, all necessary logistics for the exercise have been completed to allow the exercise to be carried out smoothly.
“Kagera Region is set to vaccinate a total of 784,975 under five children in the fourth round of polio vaccination campaign which will be administered through door-to-door and road-to-road drive to ensure that no child is left behind,” he said.
He said the region has conducted awareness sessions about the crucial exercise and they are optimistic that the exercise will be successful.
Mr Ishengoma said that, the campaign was going on smoothly and the vaccine will be administered through house to house, in public health centres, special gatherings, churches, kindergarten schools, bus stands and markets.
Meanwhile, Kagera Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Albert Chalamila has appealed to government and religious leaders to educate and encourage parents and caregivers to allow service providers to go and vaccinate their children at their homes.
He explained that the region targets to vaccinate 784,975 children in the fourth round polio vaccination campaign adding that in September, this year 712,000 under five children were targeted in the exercise.
“The four- day national campaign aimed at preventing possible infection of the diseases in the country, following reported cases of wild polio virus in neighbouring Malawi and Mozambique on February 17 this year and May 2022 respectively,” he said.
The RC said the government has already availed enough vaccines to the vaccination centres, reiterating the need for parents and caregivers to ensure that their children get vaccinated.
He directed District Commissioners and District Executive Directors in Muleba, Bukoba DC, Biharamulo, Ngara, Karagwe, Kyerwa, Missenyi and Bukoba MC to educate and encourage parents and caregivers the importance of the exercise.
Minister for Health, Ms Ummy Mwalimu said the first round campaign was conducted from March 24 to 27 this year and was implemented in four regions bordering Malawi which are Mbeya, Songwe, Ruvuma and Njombe where 1,130,261 children were vaccinated which is equivalent to 115 per cent of fewer than five children.
She further said that, the second round was conducted countrywide from May 18 to 21 this year and reached 12,131,049 children equivalent to 118.8 per cent.
“The third round campaign countrywide targeted to provide polio vaccination to 12,386,854 under five children from September 1 to 4 this year,” Ms Mwalimu said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) directs that in case of any polio outbreak, the respective country and neighbouring countries are required to provide polio vaccination to under five children for four consecutive rounds.
Polio (poliomyelitis) is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease. It is a viral disease transmitted through contaminated food, water or faeces. In its severest form, it attacks the nervous system leading to paralysis.
Elaborating, she said there is no cure, but there are safe and effective vaccines, which if given multiple times can protect a child for life. Eradicating polio requires immunizing every child until transmission stops and the world is free of all forms of polio virus, Ms Mwalimu remarked.
