Zambia: Solwezi District Health Director, Jackson Kasuma called on parents and caregivers in the district to vaccinate their children against polio. The district health sector is working hard to ensure that all the eligible children are vaccinated against Polio in the forthcoming campaign in the district.
Polio, which is a viral disease affecting the nerves, spinal cord and brain stem causes paralysis, breathing troubles and in severe cases, even death. The healthcare sector of the district has started an immunization effort for the benefit of the children.
The vaccination and immunization effort aims to facilitate the children to live a disease free and comfortable life by preventing them from constracting the disease.
In a speech read on his behalf by Assistant Human Resource Officer, Paul Chewe, Dr Kasuma said Polio is a dangerous disease that affects children as it is highly contagious and spreads rapidly thereby causing paralysis and death.
He added that children under five are at a higher risk of contracting the disease.
“Zambia reported a Polio virus case in 2022 in Kitwe, and there remains a Polio outbreak in neighbouring Malawi and Democratic Republic of Congo, therefore in order to protect the children, we need to vaccinate them, “Dr Kasuma said.
Dr Kasuma added that Polio could only be prevented through vaccination adding that it has no cure.
He emphasized that to be fully vaccinated, children needed multiple doses of the vaccine stressing that the young ones who are not fully vaccinated were at a greater risk of contracting the disease.
Dr Kasuma added that although children below the age of five were at a greater risk, vaccines would be administered to all children below fifteen years.
He however explained that since the campaign was based on the first case reported in Kitwe, the campaign would only be conducted in North Western, Luapula, Copperbelt and Central Provinces from 25th to 28th July, 2024.
Dr Kasuma emphasized that routine vaccinations and surveillance will continue and that primary health care systems will also be strengthened.
He however assured the public that the Polio vaccine is safe and effective.