Emergency Measles and Polio Campaign Launched
Nairobi, 29 April 2006 -- The Minister for Health today launched the Emergency Measles and Polio Campaign. The national launch took place in Pumwani District of Nairobi Province. Hon. Dr. Wilfred Machage, Assistant Minister for Medical Services represented the Minister for Health, Hon. Charity Ngilu.
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In his address to the gathering, Dr. Machage pointed out that although the 2002 national campaign had drastically reduced the number of measles cases and simultaneously strengthened the surveillance system for detecting new cases, the positive gains have been overtaken by an increasing number of measles outbreaks resulting in 42 deaths since October 2005. Stressing that vaccination was the only way to prevent measles and polio, the Assistant Minister urged parents to ensure that their children are fully vaccinated as it would be unfortunate to lose children to a preventable disease like measles or polio. All children between the ages of nine months and five years will be vaccinated against measles. All newborns up to the age of five years will also be vaccinated against polio, while all those between six months and five years will receive Vitamin A as well. The first phase of the campaign will be conducted from today 29 April to 5 May 2006 in 16 districts considered to be at high risk of measles transmission and importation of the polio virus. The second phase of the campaign in June 2006 will be extended to the remaining 62 districts. In Isiolo District, all children will in addition get long lasting insecticide treated bed nets to prevent them from malaria. During this first phase of the campaign, the Ministry of Health aims to vaccinate 500,000 children against measles, the Assistant Minister said. The WHO Representative to Kenya, Dr. Peter Eriki regretted that since the confirmation of the outbreak of measles in September 2005, it continued resulting in over 1,600 cases and 42 deaths nationwide. He pointed out how available data showed that close to 90% of these cases had not been vaccinated against measles. Dr. Eriki said that the low routine immunization coverage resulting in accumulated large numbers of unprotected children justify the country conducting this campaign. Dr. Eriki appealed to the government, NGOs, faith-based organizations, community leaders, political and religious leaders, the media, parents and guardians and the public as a whole to ensure that all children in Nairobi and the northern districts of Kenya receive the measles vaccine irrespective of past history of vaccination or history of measles disease. He also talked about the serious threat of polio importation the country is facing following the outbreak of polio in Somalia. The WHO Representative said that although campaigns are expensive, WHO has contributed 40 million Kenya shillings to support the Ministry in the first phase. He added that WHO was planning to give a direct financial support of 200 million Kenya shillings during the second phase in June 2006. He commended the Ministry of Health for planning the emergency measles and polio immunization campaign in response to the critical situation. Dr. Eriki also thanked partners especially UNICEF for providing technical and financial support to the Ministry towards achieving polio eradication and measles control. The guests present at the national launch included: Permanent Secretary of Health Dr. Hezron Nyangito, Head, Preventive and Promotive Health Services Dr. Shariff Nairobi Provincial Medical Officer Dr. Sam Ochola, MOH Nairobi City Council, UNICEF Country Representative, and Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Nairobi. |
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