Tanzania launches mass polio vaccination campaign for 6.5 million children

Tanzania has launched the second phase of a national polio vaccination campaign targeting more than 6.5 million children under the age of 10. The four-day exercise, utilizing the nOPV2 oral vaccine, is scheduled to take place across eight regions: Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Manyara, Pwani, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Mara, and Tanga.

The campaign follows the detection of the polio virus in environmental samples, including wastewater. Health officials emphasize that while polio has no cure and can cause permanent paralysis or death, it is preventable through vaccination. The immunization drive will be conducted through various channels, including house-to-house visits, health centers, schools, and crowded public areas such as markets and places of worship.

In the Pwani region alone, approximately 587,509 children are expected to be vaccinated. Officials from the Ministry of Health have urged parents and guardians to ensure children participate to prevent the spread of the virus, which is often transmitted through contaminated food or water.