11,574 under five children targeted for vaccination in Kabompo district
ZaNIS–The Ministry of health is targeting to vaccinate about 11,574 under five year old children in Kabompo district in this year’s Inactive Polio Vaccine (IPV) catch up programme.
Acting district commissioner, Mumba Kahilu said that the ministry of health is phasing out the oral administration of the polio vaccine to the injectable which is more safe and effective.
Dr Kahilu said an oral vaccine is a live vaccine which has only been weakened which can easily be passed through the stool and can find its way into a non-vaccinated child while an injectable vaccine that will be administered is a dead vaccine which is safer.
He said this in Kabompo today when he officiated at the district IPV catch up and HPV vaccination stakeholders orientation meeting.
“ The national IPV coverage has been low since it was introduced by government in 2018 with only 73 permanent reached.
“ All children under the age of five who have never received IPV vaccine or any protection against type 2 polio virus should take, “ he said.
Dr Kahilu therefore, urged all stakeholders to continue with the team work as universal health coverage for all cannot be achieved by the ministry of health alone.
Speaking at the same event district health information officer, Graham Mafulo said the office will at the same time target to immunize 1,400 girls aged 14 who are both in and out of school against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer.
Mr. Mafulo said that the ministry has targeted this age group as girls are less indulged in sexual activities.
The district vaccinated 1,230 girls in last year’s HPV vaccination exercise a record he described as encouraging despite a few challenges encountered.
Mr Mafulo appealed to stakeholders to collaboratively help the authority as they conduct the exercise in the communities in the next round as myths and superstition among community members still exist.
The program is scheduled for Monday 22 June, 2020 to Saturday 27 June 2020.
Meanwhile, district interdenominational chairperson, Godfrey Fulani advised on the use of church registers to meet a good number of targeted girls for the HPV program.
Rev. Fulani who pledged to provide a motorbike for use in the exercise, said fathers should also be involved in the IPV vaccination of under five children as mothers are usually held up with a lot of household tasks.