Measles vaccination campaign launched in Lakes State.
By Makur Adut.
Authorities in Lakes State have launched a 10-day Measles vaccination campaign targeting 297,867 children from 6 months to 5 years.
This came after the State recorded 72 measles cases in Rumbek centre, Wulu, Rumbek East, and Cueibet Counties, respectively.
Dr. Maker Malok Chieny, Director General State Ministry of Health, said measles has become a major public health concern in the state.
” We have registered 32 cases of measles in Rumbek East and 27 in Rumbek Central County, 12 in Cueibet County, and 1 in Wulu County on the side of Makundi, where a sample was collected, and we are still waiting for the outcome of the results,” he said.
“Despite the vaccines available, we are still recording some cases in children, and we have seen that most of the children are severely affected with complications of ammonia and complications of blindness and even other risk factors that we do see in most of the children around Lakes State.”
He appealed to the national Ministry of Health to allow them to recruit more vaccinators so that the community could be reached quickly.
Poth Majak Daljang, the State Minister of Agriculture, praised the national Ministry of Health, alongside its health partners, for supporting the program.
This is a free vaccination where all your children are freely vaccinated. The vaccination teams will go there at designated areas, bring your child to be vaccinated against measles prevention,” Majak said.
” As a government, we will do our best to support health workers on the ground, and they will be protected and they will be safe in all counties across the state.”
UNICEF Health Officer, Dr. Kawa Koul Tong, emphasized the commitment of UNICEF to partner with the Ministry of Health in providing health services with a focus on improving primary health care.
“UNICEF is committed to ensuring that chain is functional and the vaccines are available, and we are reaching all the children. We are leaving no child behind during the vaccination.”
“Let’s make sure that all the children who are the target are vaccinated against measles. We all know measles is a fatal disease, and it affects children,” Dr. Kuol added.
