Over 1,9 million children vaccinated against measl...

Over 1,9 million children vaccinated against measles

Zim Now Writer

The Ministry of Health and Child Care has said over 1,9 million children under the age of five were vaccinated against measles last year.

The Ministry’s spokesperson, Donald Mujiri said: “Through the swift movement of the routine measles vaccination conducted across the country, the ministry managed to vaccinate above 85 percent of children under the age of five years.

“We are quite happy that with the increased number of children being vaccinated against measles, the data is not disaggregated by religion as immunisation services are provided regardless of religion.”

Around 1 970 123 of the targeted 2 292 898 children under the age of five were vaccinated in 2022 during the first phase of the measles vaccination programme.

The second phase will run from January 23 to February 3, 2023.

Government is targeting 673 198 children between the ages of five and 15 years under the second phase, which will target the in eight priority districts that reported high numbers of confirmed measles cases last year.

These are Chipinge in Manicaland Province, Chiredzi, Gutu, Bikita, Mwenezi (Masvingo), Mazowe (Mashonaland Central) as well as Chikomba and Goromonzi in Mashonaland East Province.