Zimbabwe will conduct two rounds of nOPV2 vaccination for children under five in April and May 2026. The campaign follows a regional polio outbreak alert and will be coordinated with neighbouring countries. Health officials will deploy door-to-door teams to ensure all eligible children receive the vaccine.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care will carry out two rounds of a national nOPV2 vaccination campaign targeting children under the age of five, following confirmation of a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 outbreak in Malawi.
In a public notice, Chitungwiza Municipality said the campaign comes after health authorities were alerted to the outbreak in the region, prompting coordinated action among neighbouring countries to reduce the risk of further spread.
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The first round of the vaccination campaign is scheduled to take place from April 20 to 23, 2026, while the second round will be conducted from May 7 to 10, 2026. The exercise will be synchronised with Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana as part of a regional response strategy.
According to the notice, the campaign aims to administer the novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 (nOPV2) to all eligible children across Zimbabwe. Health officials said the programme is part of ongoing efforts to protect young children from poliomyelitis, a preventable but highly infectious disease.
“Poliomyelitis (polio), which is prevented by vaccination, is a highly infectious viral disease caused by poliovirus that largely affects children under 5 years of age,” read part of the notice issued by the municipality.
The notice further explained that the virus is transmitted from person to person, mainly through the faecal-oral route or through contaminated water. Once inside the body, the virus multiplies in the intestine and can spread to the nervous system, where it may cause paralysis.
Health authorities said all children aged between 0 and 59 months are eligible for the vaccine during the campaign. Each child is required to receive two drops of the nOPV2 vaccine, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated before.
“Every child targeted (0 to 59 months) must receive two drops of nOPV2 even if the child has been previously vaccinated,” the notice stated, emphasising the importance of full coverage during the campaign period.
To ensure maximum reach, vaccination teams will move from house to house in communities across the country. In addition, teams will be stationed at selected shopping centres and markets to vaccinate children who may not be reached at home.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care said the coordinated regional approach is critical in addressing the spread of the virus, particularly in light of increased movement of people across borders within Southern Africa.
Health officials have urged parents and guardians to cooperate with vaccination teams and ensure that all eligible children receive the vaccine during both rounds of the campaign to strengthen protection against polio.
