Dowa Sets Ambitious Target to Vaccinate Over 240,000 Children in Polio Campaign

By Vincent Gunde

The Dowa District Council has set a target to vaccinate 240,859 children in a Polio Supplementary Immunization campaign, with the first round conducted from March 24 to 27, 2026.

The second round is scheduled for April 27 to 30, while the third phase will run from June 2 to 5, 2026. The campaign aims to vaccinate all children under the age of 10 and achieve at least 95 percent coverage.

Presenting to the District Executive Committee (DEC), District Health Promotion Officer Davie Nuka described polio as a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus and spread through the fecal-oral route.

Nuka warned that polio can lead to lifelong paralysis, particularly among unvaccinated children, emphasizing the need for a rapid response to contain any outbreak within 120 days.

He urged DEC members to intensify community awareness, stressing that polio is preventable and that the vaccine is both safe and effective.

“The goal of the campaign is to boost children’s immunity, interrupt virus transmission, and stop the outbreak within 120 days,” said Nuka.

He added that key activities include community sensitization, engagement with schools and local structures, and the training of health personnel such as vaccinators, recorders, supervisors, and mobilizers.

Dowa District Council Director of Planning and Development, Mercy Mpakule, called on stakeholders to integrate polio vaccination messages into their interventions to ensure wider outreach.

Poliomyelitis was detected in Malawi in Blantyre on December 8, 2025, through environmental surveillance.

The initial “round zero” campaign was conducted from February 11 to 15, 2025, targeting high-risk districts including Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Mwanza, Neno, Nsanje, Thyolo, and Zomba.

The Polio Supplementary Immunization Campaign is being supported by and .