3 May 2007
The Department of Health is to launch a nationwide Polio and Measles
Immunisation Campaign that is aimed at boosting the immunisation coverage to
reach the required target of 90%.
The theme for the campaign is: "Give our Children a Polio and Measles Free
World. Have your child immunised against Polio and Measles."
The campaign will be officially launched on Friday, 4 May at Majemantsho
Sports Grounds in Lomanyaneng Village of Mafikeng in the North West province.
The campaign will be divided into two focus weeks. The first round is from 5 to
13 May for polio and measles; and the second round is from 9 to 17 June 2007
for polio immunisation only.
The mass immunisation campaign will give children under the age of five
years booster doses of polio and measles immunisation that will provide them
with additional protection against these life-threatening diseases.
Measles is a highly infectious disease caused by the measles virus. The
first sign is a high fever followed by a blotchy red rash all over the body. It
is also accompanied by cough, a runny nose and red eyes. Measles can cause
dangerous complications, such as infection of the lungs, diarrhoea, blindness
and death.
Polio is a crippling disease caused by the Poliovirus. It can lead to
permanent lameness, deformity and even death. It can be suspected when there is
sudden weakness of the leg or arm or both or other parts of the body.
In 2005, the routine immunisation coverage for children under one year was
at 81% and measles immunisation coverage is 84%. Both figures are below the
World Health Organisation target of 90%. Meeting this target will reduce the
risk of measles outbreaks and importation of wild poliovirus.
The last wild poliovirus case to be detected in South Africa was in 1989.
However, some of the countries in our continent, Africa, recently experienced
polio outbreaks. As long as there are still cases of wild poliovirus anywhere
in the world, polio can be imported and it can spread if children are not
protected through vaccination.
The Department of Health urges parents, caregivers and the general public to
support this effort to protect our children by bringing children to their
nearest health facility for immunisation during the abovementioned immunisation
focus weeks.
Give our Children a Polio and Measles Free World. Have your child immunised
against Polio and Measles.
Enquiries:
Bhungani Mzolo
Cell: 079 524 8432 or 083 589 4999
Sibani Mngadi
Cell: 082 772 0161
Issued by: Department of Health
3 May 2007
