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Locadia Mavhudzi Midlands Correspondent
The Midlands Province has urged parents and guardians with children under five years of age to take them to health centres for essential vaccinations as part of the African Vaccination Week.

Midlands Provincial medical director Dr Simon Nyadundu said children under five are eligible to be vaccinated against infectious diseases that cause serious illness and disability.

He said children are also being vaccinated for the six child killer diseases namely measles, tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus.

“We are targeting all infants and children to be vaccinated and we will also be giving de-worming tablets and vitamin A supplementation,” he said.

He said the service is free at all council clinics and government health centres, and mothers and guardians must take advantage of the week by bringing their children, especially those who are due for vaccination.

He also encouraged the apostolic sect to take their children for vaccination as this initiative is meant to boost their children’s immunity.

“We usually mobilise awareness among the apostolic sect and we encourage them at this particular time to comply with the national programme.”

Dr Nyadundu said hard to reach areas such as Gokwe and Mberengwa are also fully equipped with vaccinations and as such parents and guardians should take advantage of the prevailing situation.

Immunisation is a proven, cost-effective public-health strategy that has dramatically decreased childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide.

The African vaccination week will run until the 27th of this month under the theme, “vaccines work, do your part”.