MALAWI:Following Polio Case Detection in the Country, Bishops Support Government’s Polio Vaccine Campaign
Stella Zulu
Catholic Bishops in Malawi under their umbrella body the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) have urged parents and guardians in the country to take their under-five children for Poliomyelitis (Polio) vaccination after a case of wild poliovirus was reported in the country’s Capital Lilongwe on 17th February, 2022.
In a statement released on the 15th of March 2022, the Bishops have supported the Mass Polio Vaccine Campaign set by the Ministry of Health to start this month, as a response to contain the spread of the disease.
“We, Catholic Bishops in Malawi, support the Mass Polio Vaccine Campaign set to start this month. We assure all Catholics and the general Malawian population of the importance and safety of the Polio vaccine in preventing further spread of the poliovirus as per the assurance of the Ministry of Health and our interaction with them,” reads part of the statement.
The ECM describes the current outbreak of polio as a setback to the efforts and progress made on eradication of polio in the country and have asked parents and guardians to take the vaccination seriously.
“We urge all Catholics and people of goodwill at different leadership levels, including priests, Sisters, Brothers, parishes, outstations/sub-stations and Small Christian Communities to encourage parents and guardians to take their children or wards under the age of five to receive the vaccine once the campaign starts.”
The Bishops have therefore appealed for Health officials to ensure availability of the vaccine locally so that people do not travel long distances.
The health authorities in Malawi declared an outbreak of wild Poliovirus Type 1 after a case was detected in a young child, aged 3 in Lilongwe.
The last Polio case in Malawi was reported in 1992 and Malawi obtained a Polio free status in 2005. The case is also the first in Africa in more than five years.
