Nkhata Bay geared for third phase of polio vaccine

Nkhata Bay District Health Office (DHO) says all is in place for the rollout of the third phase of polio immunisation campaign as the Ministry of Health is expected to administer  from July 21.  

A press release issued yesterday and signed by Nkhata Bay district health promotion officer Christopher Singini, indicates that the district will conduct the polio supplementary immunisation campaign from July 21 to 24, targeting under-five children.

Reads the letter in part: “During the campaign, health surveillance assistants will take the vaccines door to door.

“However, if a child is missed during the campaign dates, please go to the nearest health facility, clinic or see a health surveillance assistant.”

Nkhata Bay district senior environmental health officer Gabriel Chipeta urged community leaders to help mobilise people to get their children vaccinated.

“We appeal to parents to get their children vaccinated, although they received the vaccines during the past phases. This phase is equally important on its own as we seek to have a polio free country again,” he said.

Chipeta said polio can attack children of up to 15 years of age, adding that there are plans to roll out another campaign targeting children under 15.