Kadoma – 9-year-old Mavis** from rural Sanyati was trying ahead to a joyful December vacation, crammed with video games and laughter together with her siblings. However these plans got here to an abrupt halt when she awakened one morning unable to stroll.
Panicked and uncertain of what to do, her household turned to their religion, in search of a miracle at an area church. After two weeks of fervent prayers however no enchancment, church leaders suggested her mother and father to hunt medical assist.
Mavis was admitted at Kadoma District Hospital, the place a sequence of assessments revealed a polio prognosis, a illness that many in her group thought had been relegated to the previous.
Her mom, 29-year-old Patricia Phiri, admitted that Mavis had obtained just one dose of the polio vaccine. “With lengthy days on the farm, it was onerous to find time for clinic visits. I by no means imagined my daughter may get polio, I had solely heard of it in passing,” she mentioned.
Due to early detection and help from well being employees, Mavis started remedy and physiotherapy. With constant follow-up, together with dwelling visits, she regularly regained her potential to stroll. Her restoration, although partial, introduced aid and a renewed sense of consciousness to the household.
“My little one’s sickness taught me a lesson. I now perceive how important it’s to find time for immunization, regardless of how busy life will get,” Patricia mentioned. “I would like different mother and father to study from our expertise that immunization save lives.”
Mavis’ case got here to mild only a month after Zimbabwe’s environmental surveillance system detected poliovirus in sewer wastewater, an early warning sign of the virus silently circulating. This triggered an pressing nationwide response led by the Ministry of Well being and Little one Care (MoHCC), in collaboration with the International Polio Eradication companions together with World Well being Group (WHO), BMGF, UNICEF, Rotary Worldwide and CDC.
Zimbabwe launched 4 rounds of vaccination campaigns utilizing the novel oral polio vaccine sort 2 (nOPV2), reaching over 5 million youngsters underneath the age of 10. These nationwide efforts, carried out by way of faculties, door-to-door outreach, well being facilities and cell clinics, performed a pivotal position in containing the outbreak and sustaining the nation’s polio-free standing.
Now, as Zimbabwe joins the area in marking African Vaccination Week, the nation displays on hard-earned classes and renewed willpower to strengthen immunization companies, from revolutionary surveillance programs to expanded outreach and a rising tradition of vaccine acceptance.
The nation has lengthy maintained a strong routine immunization programme, delivering important vaccines by way of public well being amenities, cell outreach clinics, and school-based initiatives. The nation is a part of the International Polio Eradication Initiative and has sustained excessive vaccination protection over time, with over 90% of kids receiving key vaccines, together with polio.
However the struggle shouldn’t be with out its challenges. Geographical obstacles, non secular and cultural beliefs in addition to socio-economic pressures can result in youngsters being missed. In rural areas like Sanyati, restricted entry to healthcare amenities and poor street infrastructure makes it tough for households to finish routine immunization schedules.
“Right here in Sanyati, built-in outreach companies are actually making a giant distinction,” mentioned Alexio Denhere, the Neighborhood Nurse-in-Cost for Sanyati District. “We now have seen a rise within the variety of mother and father bringing youngsters for immunizations, particularly for the reason that group grew to become conscious of Mavis’ case.”
Lately, Zimbabwe has strengthened each its immunization supply programs and surveillance mechanisms to forestall and reply to any potential polio outbreak.
One of many nation’s main milestones was the institution of a state-of-the-art Environmental Surveillance (ES) laboratory in March 2025 throughout the Nationwide Polio Laboratory in Harare. Supported by WHO by way of funding from the Gates Basis, the ES laboratory permits for detection of poliovirus in wastewater, an important device for figuring out virus circulation even earlier than medical signs emerge.
Since launching environmental surveillance in 2023, Zimbabwe has expanded from 4 to 9 monitoring websites. The system detected 32 isolates of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus sort 2 (cVDPV2) in wastewater samples and helped information focused responses to restrict additional unfold.
In parallel, Zimbabwe maintains an lively Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance system. This includes detecting and investigating sudden paralysis in youngsters, a trademark signal of polio to make sure no case goes unnoticed. The surveillance community works hand-in-hand with environmental monitoring to make sure complete nationwide protection.
On the forefront of this work are the village well being employees, group mobilizers, environmental well being practitioners, nurses, and group well being employees who function the primary line of protection in each prevention and response. They work tirelessly to counter misinformation, monitor zero-dose youngsters and interact households on the significance of vaccination.
Routine immunization companies have been strengthened by way of digital monitoring programs, little one well being card distribution, and group suggestions mechanisms. These efforts have enhanced information high quality, allowed well timed follow-ups and decreased the variety of youngsters falling by way of the cracks.
“The nation’s dedication is obvious in its proactive surveillance, well timed response, and dedication to reaching each little one,” mentioned Dr. Desta Tiruneh, WHO Consultant to Zimbabwe.
Whereas the nation stays on excessive alert in opposition to any re-emergence of the virus, its built-in method spanning prevention, detection, response and engagement of communities is paving the best way towards a polio-free future.
For youngsters like Mavis, this work means greater than statistics.
**Identify modified to guard identification of the kid