By Wendy Mkandawire
The Malawi Health Equity Network (MEHN) has described the vaccination of an estimated 7,368,425 children in the latest polio campaign as a commendable development in promoting public health in Malawi.
According to MEHN Executive Director George Jobe, the achievement was made possible through collaborative efforts involving various stakeholders, including religious and community leaders.
“The joint effort has yielded positive results. We appeal for continued collaboration to sustain these gains,” Jobe said. He urged parents and guardians to take a leading role in ensuring their children are vaccinated in future rounds.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation commended health workers, volunteers, traditional and religious leaders, parents, and partners for supporting the campaign. The Ministry noted that teams managed to reach children in hard-to-reach areas.
The Ministry has also reaffirmed its commitment to promoting health services and stated it remains ready to work collaboratively with different stakeholders in the health sector to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Health officials say the high coverage in the nOPV2 campaign is critical to maintaining Malawi’s polio-free status and strengthening routine immunization nationwide.
According to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, 7,368,425 children under 10 years of age were vaccinated during Round 4 of the nOPV2 polio vaccination campaign conducted nationwide from 11th to 14th August 2026.
