Harare, Zimbabwe – The Ministry of Health and Child Care has issued a distressing declaration of a polio outbreak in three Harare neighborhoods, specifically Budiriro, Mbare, and Mufakose. This alarming development comes merely one month after a nationwide Polio Oral Vaccination campaign aimed at safeguarding 2.8 million children under the age of five.

In a compelling statement, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, the Minister of Health and Child Care, underscored the critical need to swiftly activate the Incident Management System to confront this urgent situation. Dr. Mombeshora officially classified the outbreak as a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) within the aforementioned suburban areas, highlighting the utmost significance of a unified and comprehensive response to contain the outbreak and avert its further propagation.

The Minister called for proactive leadership, political advocacy, and broad engagement at all levels to galvanize the necessary efforts, including vaccination campaigns, reinforcement of routine immunization, and heightened polio surveillance.

In a bid to tackle this pressing issue, Dr. Mombeshora urgently solicited assistance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international organizations, both in terms of financial support and technical expertise. This development occurs against the backdrop of neighboring countries, such as Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia, reporting recent cases of poliomyelitis. The Zimbabwean government has been actively conducting vaccination blitzes to shield young children from the devastating effects of this disease.

The nation and the international community now stand on high alert as efforts intensify to curb the polio outbreak and protect the health and well-being of the affected communities. This situation underscores the importance of continued vigilance in the fight against preventable diseases.