Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Bestone Chisamile, has called on parents and community leaders in the country to take lead in ensuring that under 15 children have vaccinated against polio.
Chisamile was speaking on Tuesday in Chiradzulu when he graced the official launch of the 2023 round two vaccination campaign targeting over 3 million children.
“Let me call upon the Traditional leaders to influence parents in making sure that their children are vaccinated against polio for this is a global disease and it has to come to an end through vaccine,” he said.
“We intend to do the vaccine door to door, our health surveillance assistants will be visiting parents home, as we do not want to leave any child behind with this vaccine,” he added.
Chisamile also said previous campaigns was only targeting under 5 children but now the campaign is targeting under 15 children, saying the targeted age has increased because Blantyre registered a polio case of a 14 year-old child.
In an interview with Malawi24, UNICEF Country representative to Malawi Shadrack Omol said it is really important for parents to encourage their children to get vaccinated for they will remain protected forever from polio.
Said Omol: “I’m happy to see traditional and religious leaders vowing to encourage their communities about the vaccine.”
In his words, Village Headman Mbalame of the area promised to work together with the government in ensuring that children of his area are vaccinated.
