Botswana vaccinates 204,158 children under five in nationwide polio drive

What is the background?

Botswana had recorded no confirmed polio cases for years, helped by a wastewater surveillance network built after earlier scares in 2022 and 2024. On 8 March 2026, the Ministry of Health announced that environmental surveillance had detected circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in neighbouring countries, including districts that share borders with Botswana. The virus was found through wastewater monitoring, not clinical cases, but the ministry moved quickly to reduce the risk of it entering the country.

What happened?

The Ministry of Health launched a nationwide oral polio vaccination campaign for children aged 0 to 59 months. Vaccination teams went door to door over four days, aiming to reach every eligible child regardless of previous vaccination status. By 8 May 2026, teams had vaccinated 204,158 children, reaching 75% of the 272,100-child national target, the Botswana Gazette reported on 16 May 2026.

How did it happen?

Rather than relying only on fixed clinic points, health workers visited homes directly, a method Botswana had already used during an earlier 2023 supplementary campaign against the same viral strain. That 2023 campaign lifted district-level coverage above 90% in 24 of 27 districts by its second round, giving the ministry a tested model to repeat in 2026.

Ministry spokesperson Christopher Nyanga said some parents declined vaccination, citing religious reasons or a belief that it was unnecessary. He said teams “engaged them patiently” and ultimately respected families’ decisions, since participation in the campaign remained voluntary. Nyanga described the first phase as “a relative success” despite the resistance in some areas.

Why does it matter?

The targeted vaccine protects specifically against Type 2 poliovirus, a strain not fully covered by Botswana’s routine immunization schedule. A 2024 house-to-house survey of 10,000 households in Gaborone, Ramotswa, and Molepolole had already found that 90.2% of children under five were fully vaccinated under routine programmes. The supplementary campaign aims to close the remaining gap and strengthen community-wide immunity against the specific strain circulating in the region, reducing the chance that an unvaccinated child could develop paralysis.

What were the key results?

• 204,158 children under five vaccinated by 8 May 2026, reaching 75% of the 272,100-child target
• Nationwide campaign ran as a four-day door-to-door drive, targeting children aged 0 to 59 months
• Triggered by detection of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 on 8 March 2026 in wastewater from countries bordering Botswana
• Surveillance network expanded to eight wastewater testing sites nationwide since 2022
• Earlier 2024 household survey found 90.2% routine vaccination coverage among children under five in three districts
• Ministry spokesperson Christopher Nyanga confirmed vaccination remained voluntary while urging full participation

What happens next?

The Ministry of Health said vaccination teams would continue engaging families who initially declined, working toward the full 272,100-child target. Botswana’s National Immunization Strategy for 2025-2030 calls for expanded mobile outreach to reach remote and underserved communities, a priority officials say will shape future supplementary rounds. Health authorities also said they would keep working with regional and international partners to monitor wastewater surveillance data, since Botswana remains at risk from virus circulation in neighbouring countries.