By Erik Chiputula:
Despite misconceptions, Mchinji District Health Office has expressed optimism that it will beat the polio vaccination target .
According to Mchinji Health Promotion Officer, Happy Mwale, the district is targeting to reach out to 105,700 infants in the vaccination campaign.
Even though the program has started on a promising note, Mwale said there are some misconceptions affecting the drive.
Amongst them, he said, is that parents and guardians are relating the Polio vaccine to that of Covid-19.
“The program has started well, from yesterday we are receiving news from all angles of the district that alot of infants have already received the vaccine.
“But despite positives, we are still facing some challenges like some parents and Early Childhood Development Centers (ECDC) are refusing to permit vaccination of their children as they relate it to Covid 19 jabs,” said Mwale adding that they are trying address the problem by engaging parents and ECDCs on Polio vaccine.
One of the Health Surveillance Officers (HSAs) from Group Village Headman Mgubo, Traditional Authority Zulu, Flaviano Adriano said through the engagements, parents have started coming forth with their children.
For example, Adriano said they have already vaccinated about 556 under five children within two days.
He said they are using a door to door method in the program.
One of the parents, Clementina Banda hailed the Ministry of Health for considering using door to door vaccination method.
“It is easier for us as parents when the team visits us at home because we don’t spend on transport and other things. the door to door system also creates an environment where parents and health officers discuss misconceptions surrounding the vaccine,” she said.
The fourth round polio immunisation campaign which targets 3 million under five infants was launched on Thursday 13th October and will run until Sunday 16th October, 2022.
