The Sunday Mail
Shamiso Yikoniko – Health Reporter
Children between nine months and 14-years-old will be immunised against rubella come September 2015 to curtail the killer disease’s incidence.
A vaccine with both rubella and measles drugs has been developed and will after this initial exercise be administered to nine-month and 18-month-olds only.
“German measles” becomes the 12th child killer disease after tuberculosis, polio, rotavirus, diphtheria, tetanus, haemophilias, hepatitis B, meningitis, measles, whooping cough and pneumonia.
It is an airborne infection caused by the rubella virus, primarily affecting the skin and lymph nodes, and can also be transmitted from a pregnant woman to the unborn child.
Health and Child Care Ministry’s Epidemiology and Disease Control director Dr Portia Manangazira told The Sunday Mail, “The rubella vaccination campaign will be introduced in the last week of September, stretching through to the first week of October 2015. After the vaccine’s introduction, children will receive the first dose at nine months and the second one at 18 months.
“We considered this vaccine as several rubella cases have been reported countrywide over the years. Suspected cases of measles are also being recorded and this could mean a resurgence of the disease.
“Rubella is generally mild in children. However, our main worry is the primary medical danger it causes in pregnant women as it can cause congenital rubella syndrome in developing babies.”
In July 2014, Gokwe North recorded seven rubella cases in one week.
About 2 730 suspected measles cases have also been recorded countrywide between 2014 and June 2015.
Rubella rash appears as either pink or light red spots, which may merge to form evenly coloured patches.
This itchy rash can last up to three days, leaving the skin shedding fine flakes as it clears.
Other symptoms include headaches, appetite loss, mild eyelid and eyeball lining inflammation, a stuffy or runny nose, swollen lymph nodes and joint pain and swelling.
Zimbabwe’s immunisation coverage is 90 percent, though the last national measles vaccination programme was rolled out in 2010.
The 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Report states that the 12 killer diseases account for 57 deaths per 1 000 live births in the under-five age group yearly, and 55 deaths/1 000 live births among infants (one day-12 months).
The neo-natal mortality rate is 291 deaths/1 000 live births.
