Polio Vaccination Campaign to Start in March

The Ministry of Health will begin a nationwide polio vaccination campaign for children under five years old in the first week of March 2026.

The campaign follows the detection of Poliovirus Type 2 in Lusaka.

Ministry of Health Assistant Director for Health Promotion and Community Health, Dr. Kalangwa Kalangwa, said the exercise is aimed at protecting children and preventing the spread of the virus.

“We will begin immunizing all children below the age of five in the first week of March,” he said. “The vaccination will be conducted door-to-door and also at health centres to ensure every child is reached.”

He added that the campaign will be rolled out across the region because the Poliovirus Type 2 detected in Zambia is similar to strains found in Namibia and Angola.

The Ministry has urged parents and guardians to ensure their children are vaccinated during the campaign.