This represents 34.7 % of the targeted 8,863,785 children under the age of 15 year, the ministry wants to vaccinate by the end of the campaign.

Director of preventive health services in the ministry of health Dr. Storn Kabuluzi told us the campaign, which faced some challenges on the first day, is going on well.

“There were a few challenges on the first day, but all of them have been resolved and the campaign is progressing well,” said Dr. Kabuluzi.

In some areas on the first day, like Kasungu, some health surveillance assistants (HSAs) were striking in protest of unpaid allowances which delayed the rolling out of the campaign by one day. The allowances have since been paid.

Dr. Kabuluzi said to cover for the lost time, such districts which failed to roll out the campaign on the first day will not conclude it on Saturday as planned but Sunday.

The ministry of health is conducting the supplementary polio vaccination campaign with support from partners, UNICEF and Global Alliance for Vaccines Immunization (Gavi), following the discovery of 5 cases in 30 years.