Zambia has launched a nationwide Sub-National Immunization Day (SNID) polio vaccination campaign aimed at protecting children under five across six provinces—Lusaka, Southern, Eastern, Central, Western, and Muchinga. The campaign, initiated by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners, is expected to reach 3.7 million children in the first round, with two additional rounds planned later in the year to ensure full immunity coverage. Each eligible child will receive the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), a next-generation vaccine used globally to rapidly contain outbreaks.
The campaign comes after poliovirus was detected in environmental wastewater samples in Lusaka, signaling silent transmission and raising concern for children under five. Zambia joins neighboring countries in a coordinated regional response to close immunity gaps early and prevent further spread. Health authorities emphasized that polio remains a highly infectious and potentially paralyzing disease with no cure, making vaccination the only effective protection.
Alongside the vaccination drive, Zambia has strengthened its surveillance and response capacity through the upgraded National Polio Laboratory at the University Teaching Hospital. This enhancement enables faster and more accurate detection of poliovirus, improving real-time outbreak response and tracking of transmission patterns. The launch of the vaccination campaign and the laboratory upgrade together mark a dual milestone in Zambia’s public health preparedness.
WHO, UNICEF, and GPEI partners are supporting the initiative by supplying millions of vaccine doses, strengthening cold chain systems, and training over 27,000 health workers and volunteers to ensure safe and effective delivery. Community engagement efforts are also underway to build trust, address misinformation, and encourage caregiver participation in vaccination efforts.
Health officials stressed that while Zambia has successfully controlled polio outbreaks in the past, continued vigilance is essential as the virus can re-emerge silently. With strong government leadership, regional cooperation, and sustained vaccination efforts, Zambia aims to close immunity gaps and move closer to eliminating polio as a public health threat.
