Health authorities in Nsanje has targeted 150,000 under-15 children to receive Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) starting from next week across the country.
Public Relations and Health Promotion Officer for Nsanje District Hospital, George Mbotwa disclosed this on Monday during media briefing on the forthcoming polio vaccination exercise set from 12th to 15th July.
He said since the resurfacing of polio last year, there have been massive sensitisation campaigns to contain the disease.
Mbotwa said the decision of the 0-15 age group was considered because it was noted that some cases of children aged 15 were reported to have contracted polio.
“It was reported that some children who were under -15 years are at risk of contracting the disease,” he said.
The Health Promotion Officer lamented some religious faiths who discourage their members to access health services which put children at risk, as such, posing a threat to the community.
“We are going to engage the pastors fraternal to inform the community on the importance of children to receive the vaccine,” he said.
The hospital spokesperson said the exercise would be conducted door to door in the villages, health facilities, schools, markets and designated areas in Nsanje.
One of the journalists Manford Chirombo hailed the health authorities for engaging the media to disseminate the messages across the district.
