Over a million children vaccinated against polio in southern Malawi
## Public Health Campaign: Polio Vaccination in Malawi
Public Health Campaign: Polio Vaccination in Malawi
In a recent health initiative, an oral polio vaccine is being administered to children in southern Malawi. This campaign aims to vaccinate 1.3 million children, following the detection of a new polio case in late January.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have been working for over 35 years to eradicate polio. Despite these efforts, a vaccine-derived type 2 poliovirus has been identified in Malawi, linked to an unvaccinated seven-year-old child. This situation has prompted the declaration of an outbreak by Malawi under WHO regulations.
Polio is a highly contagious disease that affects the nervous system, potentially causing permanent paralysis or death, particularly in children under five. The virus spreads through feces and contaminated water and food. There is no cure for polio, but it can be prevented with vaccination.
In a recent health initiative, an oral polio vaccine is being administered to children in southern Malawi.
The United Nations agency has supported Malawi's Ministry of Health in coordinating the necessary logistics for this region-wide vaccination effort. The last case of wild poliovirus in Malawi was recorded in 2022 and was genetically linked to a strain found in Pakistan.
Polio was a major health concern in the early 20th century, causing widespread fear and paralyzing hundreds of thousands of children each year until vaccines were developed in the 1950s.
Based on reporting by Africanews.
