Story by Tarirai Madhuyu

THE poliovirus vaccination programme for children below the age of ten has kicked off with the campaign being taken to all parts of the country this Tuesday.

The poliovirus variant vaccination rolled out this Tuesday excludes Harare Metropolitan Province where the vaccination programme has been deferred to next week, to allow for the conclusion of its cholera inoculation exercise.

In Chitungwiza, the polio vaccination programme began this Tuesday with medical teams being dispatched to various parts of the dormitory town.

The medical teams are conducting door-to-door inoculations, with some vaccination centres being established in schools, clinics, and public markets.

“I had to pass through to get my child vaccinated. We have been advised in advance so I just decided to come early,” said one of the parents.

Another added, “I am doing this for the benefit of my kid. I could not delay because there is nowhere we can find the vaccination later.”

“We need to make sure that our kids go to the hospital and oblige to what the government expects of us. This initiative is for us all despite our religious background. Despite being of the apostolic sect, we always partake in such initiatives to protect our young ones.” said one of the parents.

The country has recorded a single case of the poliovirus variant in the Sanyati area of Mashonaland West Province where the exercise has also been rolled out.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Child Care has disclosed through a statement that poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) has been detected in sewage samples collected in Harare through routine environmental surveillance.