The Choma District Health Office has targeted to vaccinate over 60,000 children under the age of five in the upcoming supplementary immunisation campaign against polio.

This follows confirmation by the Ministry of Health of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 which was detected through environmental surveillance in Zambia, placing districts such as Choma among high-risk areas.

Speaking during a stakeholder engagement meeting held in Choma, District Health Director, Belita Zulu, said the campaign is a critical response to the detected virus, which spreads through the feacal-oral route.

“The campaign, scheduled to begin on the 20th to 25th of April, 2026, will target children aged 59 months and below, across the district, Dr Zulu indicated.

“If 10 to 15 percent of the over 60,000 children are not vaccinated, that is a huge number and it becomes a risk, as the disease can easily spread,” she added.

And Choma District Health Nursing Officer, Belinda Choombe, disclosed that 60,825 children under the age of five and over 58,000 households will be targeted in the district for the immunisation campaign.