Massive measles, rubella vaccination campaign kicks-off
Baboki Kayawe | Tuesday July 26, 2016 16:16
Rubella infections generally cause relatively mild diseases in children, but in adolescents and adults, may affect joints and the brain, health experts say. Rubella infection in pregnant women can cause foetal deaths or congenital defects, with over 100,000 babies born with this condition annually worldwide. Measles, on the other hand, is one of the leading causes of death among young children even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available.
In Botswana, between 2011 and 2015, 935 cases of rubella were recorded with 502 cases occurring in 2014 alone, a World Health Organisation (WHO) representative said.
Launching the campaign yesterday, health minister, Dorcas Makgato explained that measles surveillance has over the years provided evidence for an informed decision to introduce the rubella containing vaccine.
She added that out of a total of 2,497 measles and rubella suspect cases tested between 2011 and 2015, results revealed only 15 cases of measles and 935 of rubella. “This therefore provides compelling evidence for the introduction of the rubella containing vaccine in the form of Measles Rubella vaccine,” Makgato said.
“The measles surveillance trend has shown a decline in the number of confirmed measles cases with an increase in confirmed rubella cases.”
The campaign, which runs from July 25 to August 12, also includes deworming of children aged between 12 months and 14 years in nine districts where intestinal worms are prevalent. Recent studies have revealed children above five years in Lobatse, Jwaneng, Mabutsane, Tsabong, Selebi-Phikwe, Mahalapye, Ngamiland and Chobe are largely infected by intestinal worms, hence the decision to deworm them.
In other areas, the medication will only be provided when children have symptoms of intestinal worms. WHO officials lauded Botswana’s commitment to avail resources for the supplementary immunisation activity. “This massive activity is by no means cheap and requires a lot of resources which only a committed country can undertake,” said Dr Martins Ovberedjo, a WHO representative.
In an effort to accelerate progress in the control of this life threatening but vaccine preventable disease, the MR vaccine will now be part of the routine immunisation programme.