09/05/2017: Gauteng Provincial Health Department delays Measles Vaccination Campaign

09/05/2017: Gauteng Provincial Health Department delays Measles Vaccination Campaign

The Provincial Health Department has been circulating misleading reports that its 24-day, province-wide measles immunisation campaign has kicked off.

The campaign was scheduled to commence on the 2nd to the 26th of May 2017, following the initial confirmed measles cases reported in the Johannesburg Health District in March 2017.

Although some municipalities have indeed commenced with the immunisation, the City of Johannesburg’s Health Department has been unable to commence with the vaccination, due to the fact that the Provincial Health Department has not delivered all the resources necessary for the immunisation.

The Provincial Health Department requested that municipalities in Gauteng conduct an Emergency Measles Campaign targeting children aged between 6 months and 5 years following the initial outbreak in March 2017. The Johannesburg Health District has been requested to extend immunisation to children up to 15 years old in order to increase herd immunity (a form of immunity that occurs when the vaccination of a significant portion of a population provides a measure of protection for individuals who have not developed immunity).

An official letter confirming the campaign was received on the 26th of April 2017 (one working day before the campaign was due to commence) announcing campaign dates as the 2nd to the 26th of May 2017. Before then, no campaign resources had been provided to the Municipal Health Department.

This has been brought to the attention of the office of the MEC for Health for her urgent intervention.

The City anticipates to be ready by the 15th of May 2017 provided all necessary resources are in place.

Cllr Mpho Phalatse

MMC: Health and Social Development

City of Johannesburg

For more information please contact:

Nonhlakanipho Nedzamba

Stakeholder Manager

Office of the MMC – Health and Social Development – Dr Mpho Phalatse

Tel: (011) 407 6725

Cell: 072 596 9508

E-mail: nonhlakaniphom@joburg.org.za

Website: www.joburg.org.za