Measles campaign rolls on despite deaths in Namibia
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday August 9, 2016 15:06
Yesterday, assistant health minister, Alfred Madigele said the campaign was going well and had not resulted in any deaths or serious challenges.
“The campaign is going very well. We have not registered any deaths associated directly with the vaccination and de-worming.
“In fact, the only challenge we encountered was a shortage of de-worming tablets at some point in some districts, but that has since been rectified,” he said.
Madigele said government is happy with the number of those bringing their children forward for vaccination.
“The interim reports show promising numbers. We are also happy that private schools have also been working with us in addition to public schools,” he said.
The campaign, which started on July 25, ends on August 12. The campaign is targeted at children aged between nine months and 14 years.
Namibian newspapers last week reported that parents whose babies died after they were vaccinated have approached that country’s Legal Assistance Centre for help to sue the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
According to The Namibian newspaper, 21 babies countrywide have died since 2006 after receiving the vaccines, which are normally administered to children at six weeks and 12 weeks. The deaths have been termed Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
“Five of these cases recorded in July this year in Windhoek alone were caused by complications arising from the ongoing MR vaccination exercise,” the paper reads.
According to the newspaper, Dr Theopolina Tueumuna, a veteran Namibian medical doctor with expertise in public health, specialising in maternal and child health, defended the campaigns, saying in Namibia’s case, most children are malnourished and when they get the vaccination there is a likelihood that some might die.
She compared Namibian children to those she attended to in London, whom she said were well nourished, lived in good houses, had access to supportive treatment, and plenty of nutritious food.
Madigele said in districts where there is malnutrition, parents are requested to bring the children back for check-ups so they can be helped on time if there is a problem.