Regional Launch of Measles Campaign

30-10-10 In its quest to improve the health of its citizenry, Government has provided 3.5million Ghana Health Service to under take a campaign on measles immunization in the country. This was disclosed by the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni, during the regional launch of the Integrated Measles Supplementary Immunization Campaign at Widana in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East region on the theme: “Measles Can Kill, Immunize Your Child Now”. The exercise which will start on the 3- 6 of next month, is targeted at children between the age group of 9 months to 5 years as a strategy by government to ensure the country meets the goal of the African Union to eliminate measles by the year 2020. The exercise is also targeting about 274,409 children in the Upper East Region. In addition to the measles immunization, the children who were not dosed in the Upper East Region with the Vitamin A during its exercise will be given the dose so that every child in the Region will be guaranteed with good health. The Deputy Regional Minister urged everyone to learn and know about the disease and also take measures to prevent people from getting measles, and eliminating it within the shortest possible time. Mrs. Lucy Awuni appealed to the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health to strengthen the capacity of the Reference Laboratory in Tamale to serve the three Northern Regions, to reduce the delays and cost of sending specimen to Accra for laboratory examination. She also stressed that health service providers should be trained on Management of adverse events following immunization so that they would better manage the conditions. The Deputy Regional Director of Public Health Service, James Akpabli, said measles is a virus that is transmitted by direct or through airborne droplets when an infected person sneezes, cough or talk. He said that when one is infected there is an incubation period of 9 – 12 days before symptoms such as fever, irritability, red eye; difficulties in seeing through light, coughing and nasal discharge are seen. He cautioned the public that, though measles is a childhood disease, it can also occur at any age especially in areas such as the Upper East Region when it is introduced by an infected person. In pregnant women he lamented that it could cause an abortion or death in the womb of the foetus. Addressing the public, the Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Musah Abdulai, urged parents not to shirk their responsibilities and appealed to men not to see the health issues of the children as the sole responsibility of women because fathers also have a role to play to ensure total immunization of the children. Representatives from the Health Services of both Togo and Burkina Faso were there to witness the event.
GBC END IA /GMST