Help city health eradicate polio and measles
Help city health to eradicate polio and measles
A National Mass Polio and Measles Campaign targeting all children under 5 years old, takes place from 07 - 11 May 2007 (1st Round) and 11 - 15 June 2007 (2nd Round). The theme for this year's campaign is "Give our children a Polio and Measles free world. Have your child immunised against Polio and Measles".
The campaign is conducted to give additional polio and measles immunisation to as many children under 5 years as possible, at the SAME TIME. This will prevent any wild polio and measles viruses from circulating among unprotected children. Children under 5 years of age are targeted because they are most vulnerable.
This year's campaign will have two rounds of the mass immunisation taking place at all public clinics or immunisation posts. It is important to bring children for both the first and the second round of the polio immunisation. To protect children against the poliovirus, polio drops need to be given twice. Children who miss the second round will not be fully protected against the poliovirus. All children under 5 years of age should be brought for immunisation even if they are up to date with the routine immunisation. Members of the public should take note that the vaccines given during the mass campaigns do not replace the routine childhood immunisation schedule.
This mass campaign is part of the continued global implementation of the World Health Organisation strategy to eradicate polio and eliminate measles. The campaign targets all children under the age of five for immunisation against polio and measles. It is the responsibility and obligation of countries to ensure that strategies recommended by the World Health Organisation for polio eradication and measles elimination are implemented.
The Health Department of the City of Johannesburg has set a target of reaching at least 95% of the 346,346 children living in the City. Immunisation campaigns are opportunities that all health workers have to use to contribute to the well being of all the children of South Africa and their future.
Parents and caregivers are urged to participate in the campaign because Polio and Measles are highly infectious diseases that are life-threatening and often result in long-term damage and disability The threat of polio and measles remains a real one, these diseases are still prevalent in neighboring countries and can easily be imported by a visitor.
Immunisation is a highly effective, affordable way to combat diseases and protect all our children. Immunisation is also very safe. The risk of an allergic reaction is very much smaller than for most other medicines. Children cannot be over immunised. Even fully immunised children get extra benefit form mass immunisation campaigns. Immunisation is a social responsibility. We can only create a measles and polio-free environment if all children are immunised and it is possible to eradicate diseases globally. Immunisation enabled us to triumph over smallpox. A polio-free world is a very real possibility.
The City of Johannesburg Health Department urges parents to ensure that all children under 5 years old receive the required dose of immunisation during this campaign. We can stop the suffering and death caused by measles and polio by having our children immunised.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Nkosinathi Nkabinde
Communications Officer
City of Johannesburg Health Department
Telephone: (011) 407 - 6477
Cell: 083 408 7787
Fax: (011) 339 - 1443
E-mail: nkosinathin@joburg.org.za
