The ||Kharas Region has achieved its polio vaccination campaign target, after a 91% coverage in the first round of the polio vaccination since it started in January.

The Keetmanshoop State Hospital Senior Medical Officer, Dr Herve Sabwa, revealed this while confirming the second round of polio vaccinations, which kicked off this week.

Dr Sabwa described the polio vaccination campaign as successful amid some challenges, such as the vastness of the area and persistent heatwaves.

"In Keetmanshoop we stood at 10,429 children vaccinated at the first round; in Karasburg we vaccinated 5,089 children and in Lüderitz, 8,285, so this is the total number of children we managed to vaccinate throughout the region."

He outlined some strategies the regional health directorate would implement to achieve a 100 percent coverage rate during the second round that will run from the 24th February until the 27th February 2026.

"With the help of the communication team, we will try to reach and engage with the communities and try to disseminate the information and explain the benefits of having their children vaccinated. I would say in the first round the perception of safety was not understood by the community, but looking at the first round, there were many more side effects. We had for the whole region 10 cases reported of side effects, which is good publicity for the vaccine."

Gerald Frederick is a Risk Communication Community Education Officer who added, "I just want to encourage the parents of the children who need the vaccination to be prepared and work with the ministry to make this a success. As the doctor mentioned, we covered 91% for the region, and for the Keetmanshoop district, we covered 97 percent which is very good, but what we really want to do is to reach every child."

Frederick says children who received the vaccine in the first round in January and turned 10 afterwards remain eligible for the second round.

Health officials continue house-to-house visits, while services will also be available at the health facilities and designated fixed points.