Zimbabwe has launched an emergency campaign to vaccinate more than 4 million children against polio, following the detection of three cases caused by a rare mutation of the weakened virus found in oral vaccines. These cases include a 10-year-old girl who was paralyzed last January.
Health authorities have discovered the presence of a mutated strain of poliovirus in samples taken from sewage sites in several areas of the capital, Harare. This strain was identified as coming from an oral vaccine used as part of the global polio eradication campaign.
It is rare, but possible, for live polio virus in vaccines to mutate and cause new outbreaks of infection, especially in places where sanitation is poor and vaccination rates are low.
The vaccination campaign in Zimbabwe consists of the distribution of vaccine doses directly to homes, as well as to health facilities. This campaign will use a new oral vaccine specifically designed to reduce the risk of the virus mutating.
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Health, Douglas Mombeshora, called the new emergence of polio a “major concern” but assured that authorities were ready to respond quickly. The objective is to vaccinate more than 10 million children, aged under 10, in two phases in February and March, in order to stop the spread of the disease.
Polio can lead to total paralysis, and children under 5 are particularly vulnerable. It is transmitted mainly through contact with contaminated feces, water or food, as well as through droplets emitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
This situation in Zimbabwe highlights the critical importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of preventable diseases. It is essential that awareness and vaccination efforts are strengthened to protect the health of children and the general population.