By Vincent Gunde
The Dowa District Health Office officially started Round 2 of Polio supplementally immunization campaign on the 27th April, 2026 with the teams deployed across all Traditional Authorities in the district.
The Health teams are in active vaccination campaign in households and schools to see to it that there is increased community acceptance compared to Round one.
The children to be vaccinated are given noval oral polio vaccine (noPV), and marked with indelible ink on fingers to ensure accurate coverage monitoring.
Presenting the progress of the ongoing Polio supplementally immunization campaign to the District executive committee (Dec), District Environmental Health Officer for Dowa District Hospital James Mtonga, said Polio Round 2 campaign will boost immunity among children under 10 years, interrupt poliovirus transmission, to reach missed children for routine immunization and to ensure that every eligible child receives polio vaccine regardless of prior vaccination status.
Mtonga said the campaign is targeting all children under 10 years of age (0- 9 years) 11 months 29 days children with special focus on hard to reach areas, urban settlements, and mobile population ( Dzaleka Refugee Camp).
The Officer said the campaign is expected to increase polio immunity, reduced risk of polio virus transmission, improve vaccination coverage across all zones and strengthening Community trust in immunization services in Dowa district.
He said among mitigation measures for the campaign, there will.be intensified Community sensitization, use of local leaders to address refusals, mop – up teams for missed children, and extended working hours for vaccination.
“Key messages for this campaign, Polio is preventable, vaccine is safe and effective, every child must be vaccinated, and no child should be missed,” said Mtonga.
He appealed to Dec members to provide leadership and oversight, address misinformation at community level, support Community mobilization efforts, supporting monitoring and accountability and ensuring that there’s coordination among sectors.
However, Mtonga said Round 2 of the campaign has observed some challenges such as some caregiver hesitancy due to misinformation and disinformation, movement of families between villages, missed children due to seasonal farming activities, and inadequate vaccine supply.
The Polio supplementally immunization campaign Round 2 will end on 30th May, 2026 targeting 239,907 children in Dowa district with support from UNICEF and World Health Organization ( WHO).
