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N JUABEN N: Health Services launches Measles Rubella immunization

The Ghana Health Service has begun a nationwide Measles and Rubella immunization exercise today.

Date Created : 10/19/2018 12:26:52 AM : Story Author : Elizabeth Ansaah/Ghanadistricts.com

The exercise is for children age nine (9) month to five (5) years.

Parents are therefore advised to make their children available for a successful exercise.

The Eastern Regional Health Director, Dr. Antobre Boateng, who announced this during the launch of the exercise in Asokore a suburb of Koforidua, said the exercise is done every four (4) years to minimize the effects of the disease.

The Measles and Rubella disease, he noted, are among the six killer diseases and called for a collaborative effort from all stakeholders to fight against it.

Dr. Boateng maintained that the injection is not harmful and urged parent to get their children immunized.

He disclosed that, they recorded two cases of the disease from the beginning of the year. He further stated that the measles and rubella vaccine was discovered in 1978. According to him, the disease causes blindness and deaf among children.

Dr. Boateng also announced that the health services will also embark on yellow fever immunization exercise for people aged ten to sixty years. The measles and rubella immunization exercise is expected to end on the 22nd October, 2018.

The Municipal Chief Executive of New Juaben North Municipal Assembly Comfort Asante in an address on behalf of the Regional Minister said that measles outbreak continues to cause illness and deaths globally and this is a major development obstacle for population in developing counties. She emphasized that over the years, tremendous progress have been made towards both measles and rubella elimination.

She stated that working to achieve the goals of eliminating measles and rubella can help strengthen the health system in Ghana.

She stressed that with the introduction of this immunization programme, the country has since 2003 not recorded any death from measles.

She urged all caregivers, parents and guardians to take their children aged nine (9) month to five (5) years to the nearest vaccination health center to be vaccinated to enable Ghana eradicate the disease by the year 2020.

The Municipal Director of Health Services, Dr. E.E Kaitoo stressed on the need for the media to help in disseminating the right information about the immunization process by educating the public on the usefulness of the vaccine.

Present were, nananom, parents, students, municipal heads of departments and stakeholders of Health Services.