2.8 Million Children to Benefit from Measles ‘Marklate’
April, 22, 016 (MOHS) – The Ministry of Health and Sanitation will start measles vaccination of 2.8 million children targeting age 6 months to 15 years countrywide from April 25 to May 1, and the second phase May 9 to 15, 2016 targeting children in rural communities. (Photo: Freetown, Cross section of journalists)
Addressing pressmen at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation conference hall in Freetown about the vaccination campaign, the Deputy Programme Manager, Dr. Mariama Murray said the Ministry is very much concern about the lives of the children of this country and thought it necessary to vaccinate children across the country.
Dr. Murray described measles as a viral infection that is caused by a virus and has symptoms which includes red watery eyes, fever, cough, running nose, pointing out that this can happen to both children and adults.
She disclosed that there is measles outbreak currently in the country and expressed the Ministry’s preparedness to respond with the current campaign.
Dr. Mariama Murray
As part of the measles elimination campaign the Ministry she said, introduced a measles second doze in November 2015 which is part of the routine immunization.
Dr. Murray further disclosed that the current measles outbreak was in August 2015 in the Kono district and continue to spread to the other twelve districts with 977 suspected cases, 64 laboratory confirmed cases and 815 confirmed by epidemiological linkage investigated as 60 percent in the Western Area.
She said 9.7 percent of these measles cases are under age 15 with highest proportion of 98 percent.
Dr. Murray reiterated that the objective of the campaign aimed at achieving 95 percent of the two million eight hundred and sixty two thousand three hundred and ninety four children to be targeted during the campaign. The campaign she maintained will be a house to house and school to school vaccination process.
Dr. Murray expressed thanks to their partners including World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Africell, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and MSF for their support to the campaign.
The event was chaired by the Health Education Programme Manager, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Mr. Lansana Conteh.
By Annans Sesay and Mamadi M. Khonte (Interns)
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