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Malawi News

Malawi launches the first round of vaccination campaign against wild poliovirus type...

Lilongwe, 21 March 2022– Malawi has launched the first round of vaccination campaign against wild poliovirus type 1 using the bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign is targeting 2.9 million children under 5 years in a four-round vaccination drive after Malawi declared an outbreak on 17 February—the first such case in the country in 30 years, and the first in Africa since the region was certified free of indigenous wild poliovirus in 2020. 

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More than 80 million doses to be administered to southern African children targeted ...

Malawi will on Sunday launch the first round of vaccination campaigns against wild poliovirus type 1. More than 80 million doses will be administered to more than 23 million children under 5 years in the four-round vaccination drive in five southern African countries after Malawi declared an outbreak on 17 February—the first such case in the country in 30 years, and the first in Africa since the region was certified free of indigenous wild poliovirus in 2020. 
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Malawi intensifies response after wild poliovirus detected

Lilongwe – Polio emergency response teams in Malawi are ramping up disease surveillance and deepening investigations after the country detected a case of wild poliovirus—the first of its kind in Africa since 2016. Determining the extent of the risk and searching for any further cases are among the crucial steps for an effective response to halt the virus and protect children from its debilitating impact.
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Malawi declares polio outbreak

Brazzaville/Lilongwe – The health authorities in Malawi have declared an outbreak of wild poliovirus type 1 after a case was detected in a young child in the capital Lilongwe. This is the first case of wild poliovirus in Africa in more than five years.

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WHO emergency teams learning and supporting in Malawi

With Malawi’s top-level leadership fully committed to addressing bottlenecks that are hampering the country’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, WHO’s emergency ‘surge’ team is on the ground, supporting the national initiative.

WHO consultant Zora Machekanyanga travelled from Zimbabwe last week to join team leader Dr Charles Byabamazima and Dr Caroline Ryan. 

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Boosting equity to malaria prevention in Malawi through vaccination

Clara Magalasi, who lives in a rural village near Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi, woke up to a grey morning with a dull sky that was threatening rain. For Clara, the weather did not stop her from walking 4 kilometers to Chileka Health Centre. Her daughter Grace Butawo, who just turned 22 months, was due for her fourth and final dose of the RTS,S malaria vaccine. According to Clara, she was conscious about the dates to take her child for the final dose of the malaria vaccine as she understands its benefits.
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Malawi receives first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX

Lilongwe, 5 March 2021 - Today, Malawi received COVID-19 vaccine doses shipped via the COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO. This is a historic step towards the goal of COVAX to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, in what will be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history.

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