As part of efforts at meeting the Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG-4) of minimizing child mortality by 2015, the Ghana Health Services will from next week embark on a mass vaccination of children between the ages nine months and fourteen years against measles and rubella.
The safe and effective measles and rubella vaccination will take place in the Upper East Region in all communities, schools, market places, health centers and hospitals from the 11the to 20th of September. At a press briefing in Bolgatanga on Wednesday, Deputy Director of Public Health, Upper East Region, Dr. James Akpablie, said the virus that causes measles and rubella which is highly contagious and spreads through respiration with fluid from an infected person to the other.
Dr. Kpablie said the virus that causes measles has a long incubation period of ten to twelve days thereby thus making it difficult for one to know if he or she is infected with the virus.He disclosed that seven to eight million measles deaths occur each year world-wide but due to vaccination against its virus, child mortality due to measles has reduced drastically.
Dr. Akpablie emphasized the need for individuals to embrace the incoming vaccination because the region is one that has periodic outbreak of measles.
Pregnant women, diabetic patients and HIV/AIDS patients are ineligible in this mass vaccination exercise. Individuals are also advised to report to the nearest health center in case of any adverse reaction due to the vaccination.
By: Joshua Asaah | A1radioonline.com | Ghana
