Over 2million people targeted for AH1N1 vaccine

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Thursday June 10, 2010 00:00

 

Director of Public Health, Shenaaz El-Halabi told Mmegi yesterday that the campaign, initially scheduled for June 14 to August 5 has been postponed to another date that is to be announced soon.

She said that the campaign, which is targeting both residents and citizens, would be rolled out in phases, which will give different groups of people a chance to be vaccinated at different places and times. 

'This campaign will be in different phases which are phase one to five for different groups of people,' said Halabi. 

The first phase will be for all health workers, pregnant women, and persons with chronic illnesses aged between 11 and 64 years, who are estimated to be 314, 620.  Phase two of the campaign targets a population of about 415,334 people who are children aged six to 59 months old, and those aged five to ten years of age.  During phase three people aged 11 to 39 years will be vaccinated with AH1N1 vaccination, and these are estimated to be 844,404.  During phase four all people aged 39 years and above will be vaccinated and the estimated population is 266,653.  Lastly, during phase five, children aged six months to 59 months and those aged five to ten years will receive their second dose, and would be the only people to take the second dose.

Halabi said the ministry is working in partnership with World Health Organisation (WHO), which is the one providing this vaccination.  She said that the vaccination has been pre qualified and that they do not expect any drastic reactions from the vaccine.

'However, like any other medication there could be some reactions, we don't want to rule that out but we trust this vaccine.  Reactions may happen and might not happen but it would not be anything drastic,' she said.