MASS MEASLES VACCINATION DRIVE

The Ministry of Health and Social Services will next week embark on a mass vaccination campaign against measles in the Opuwo Health District of the Kunene Region. The targets for the campaign are all the residents of the Opuwo Health District except pregnant mothers and children under the age of six months. The population of the health district is about 45 000.

The week-long campaign, which starts next Tuesday, ending on February 15, comes in the wake of a prolonged measles outbreak in the Kunene Region. Since the first case was reported on September 19 last year, the number of cases had risen to 1 253 by Monday this week. The disease has killed 15 people while 12 others are admitted at the Isolation Treatment Centre at the Opuwo District Hospital. Minister, Dr Richard Nchabi Kamwi, launched the campaign yesterday and said: “This mass vaccination is required because we have come to realize that people in Opuwo have little or no protection against measles.”

Pray that the outbreak of measles will be stopped and this vaccination campaign will be successful. That all the people will receive the necessary protection. For those who suffer now to be healed and for life in the Opuwo Health District to return to normal.

Source: http://www.newera.com.na
Photo: http://www.republikein.com.na