MoHSS polio vaccination campaign extends nationwide

By: Selma Taapopi

The ministry of health and social services has begun a nationwide vaccination for the Poliovirus type 2, after initially limiting the vaccination campaign to the Kavango East and West Regions after Poliovirus type 2 was detected in Rundu.

The ministry in a statement released on Friday announced the success of that campaign which will now be expanded to cover the entire country to ensure that all children under the age of ten are vaccinated.

The vaccination drive will be conducted in two rounds, scheduled for 26 to 29 January 2026 and 24 to 27 February 2026, with vaccinations to be made available at health facilities, fixed as well as outreach vaccination points.

The ministry will also dispatch door to door trained vaccinations teams and strongly encourages parents and caregivers to cooperate with the vaccination teams.

Since the detection in Rundu, no polio cases have been reported.

According to the ministry, children under the age of five are at high risk of the virus which is transmitted faecal-orally, particularly in areas with inadequate sanitation and hygiene.

All children under the age of ten years remain vulnerable in communities with suboptimal immunity levels.