Polio vaccination campaign targets over one million children

DODOMA: DODOMA Region is targeting to vaccinate a total of 1,003,461 children under the age of 10 across its eight councils in a special campaign scheduled to run from August 27 to 30 this year in eight regions.

Dodoma Regional Immunisation Coordinator Francis Bujiku said the initiative would be implemented by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PMORALG), as well as vaccination partners.

Speaking in the capital yesterday, Mr Bujiku said, apart from Dodoma, the campaign would also be conducted in Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, Coast, Mara and Tanga regions.

He said the campaign would be repeated from September 29 to October 2, 2026, under the slogan: “Vaccinate your child. Protect your child’s smile. Stop polio.”

Mr Bujiku said the campaign was being repeated in Mara Region because a large number of children were not reached during the first round, coupled with the continued threat of the disease in neighbouring countries with high levels of cross-border movement.

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To achieve the target, he said Dodoma Region had put in place strategies to ensure that all children under the age of 10 receive the polio vaccine as part of efforts to strengthen community immunity and prevent a possible outbreak of the disease.

He said all children under the age of 10, including those who have already completed their routine vaccination schedule, would be targeted.

Mr Bujiku added that the vaccines would be administered at various locations, including schools, health facilities, places of worship and households through door-todoor visits, as well as other places where children could be reached.

A total of 2,001 teams have been prepared to implement the campaign, with each team comprising a vaccinator, a data recorder and a community mobiliser.