Malawi’s Polio Vaccination Drive Aims to Protect Over 1. 3 Million Children. Blantyre, Malawi — 2026-02-19 Lead Paragraph: In a bid to combat a resurgence of polio, Malawi has embarked on a massive vaccination campaign targeting over 1.
3 million children.
The drive, which commenced last Wednesday, follows the detection of a new polio case in late January. This case is linked to a vaccine-derived type 2 poliovirus found in the environment and an unvaccinated 7-year-old child, underscoring the ongoing challenge of eradicating the disease.
The campaign is a response to the detection of the poliovirus strain in Malawi, which is a variant that can emerge in communities with low vaccination rates. These strains can lead to outbreaks in areas that have been declared free of wild polio.
The United Nations agency has been instrumental in supporting the Malawian Ministry of Health in coordinating the logistics for the vaccination drive.
Polio, a highly infectious disease affecting the nervous system, can cause permanent paralysis or death, particularly in children under five.
The disease spreads through contaminated water and food and, while there is no cure, it is entirely preventable through vaccination.
The last reported case of wild poliovirus in Malawi was in 2022, genetically linked to a strain identified in Pakistan.
The global effort to eradicate polio has been ongoing for over 35 years, led by the World Health Organization and its partners.
The vaccination campaign in Malawi is expected to continue in the coming weeks.
The government and health officials are urging parents to have their children vaccinated to prevent further outbreaks.
Further details regarding the campaign’s progress and any new developments will be provided as they become available.
