Botswana Vaccinates 370,000 Children Against Polio to Curb the Spread of the Virus: Health Officials

According to officials from Botswana’s Ministry of Health and Wellness, over 370,000 children aged seven and below have received vaccinations to protect them from circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVOPV2). The vaccination campaign ran from February 23 to April 2, covering all districts across the southern African country. In late 2022, cVOPV2 was detected in one sewage site in Gaborone, Botswana’s capital, with four positive samples reported in 2022 and one in 2023. The Ministry spokesperson, Christopher Nyanga, expressed confidence that the vaccination exercise has prevented the spread of the virus to vulnerable children since no new incidents have been detected. Nyanga also added that their aim was to ensure that vaccines reach every child and that no one is left behind.