Massive Turnout For Immunization

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Thursday, 02 November 2006 (Page 3)

There was a massive turnout in the Accra metropolis for the maiden edition of the Integrated Child Health (immunisation) campaign, which began throughout the country yesterday.

As early as 10 am, long queues of enthusiastic parents with their children had formed at the various centres when the Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Professor Badu Akosa, and the media toured some centres in high-density areas of the metropolis, including Bukom, Nima, Kokomba market area and Sodom and Gomorrah.

Under the campaign, which ends on Sunday, children under the age five are being immunised against polio and measles while those between six months and five years will, in addition receive vitamin A capsules.

Children below the age of two will receive free insecticide treated bed nets as well.

In all, there are 9,500 vaccinators and vaccination centres, and 28,500 volunteers for the exercise

However, it came to light that some parents in their desire to get the free bednets understated the age of their children.

Prof.Badu Akosa expressed the fear that the rush may lead to shortage of the nets for which over two million have been earmarked for the programme, and should that happen it will be difficult for the GHS to procure additional ones.

Briefing the media during the tour, he said that measles cases in the country dropped from 12,000 to 2000 between 2000 and 2002 adding, "Last year Ghana recorded 500 cases and has not recorded any death resulting from measles within the last three years."

On polio eradication, Prof. Badu Akosa said that Ghana has satisfied the three-year polio free record and is awaiting certification, but indicated that as long as Nigeria and other parts of the world at large are not polio free, "Ghana is also not free and has to keep the pressure and immunize our children."