Measles Campaign to Held in Anambra

ANAMBRA State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), has concluded plans to commence this years’ Integrated Measles Campaign (IMC) in December.

According to the Director, Primary Health Care, Emmanuel Okafor, who disclosed this to journalists during an interactive forum, the programme, which will hold between December 4-8, will take place in all the 177 communities of the state.

Dr. Okafor, who was represented by the State’s Health Educator, Mrs. Scholastic Okoli, stated that the campaign will feature administration of Oral polio vaccines on children between 0-59 months and vaccination against measles on children between 9-59months.

The director explained that the immunization, which will be administered free of charge would be conducted at designated health centres, including markets, town halls, churches, schools, traditional rulers palaces and other convenient places and called on nursing mothers to avail their children of the opportunity.

He equally called on the public to report any suspected case of measles in both children and adults to the nearest health clinic for appropriate action.

Okafor, who gave the symptoms of measles as severe fever and rashes on the body irrespective of age stressed the need for meticulous documentation of those immunized or treated of measles with the Measles Vaccination Card.
Present at the interactive session with journalists are Mrs Franca Madike, UNICEF desk Officer on Media and Publicity and the WHO consultant for Integrated Measles Campaign, Mrs. Adeshua Igbunedon.