The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
Around 85 percent of all children under the age of five have been vaccinated against measles, with the authorities now ramping up efforts to inoculate the remaining eligible toddlers following an outbreak of the disease in Manicaland province earlier this year.
The Government has rolled out a nationwide emergency immunisation programme targeting 95 percent of all children under the age of five in order to attain herd immunity.
Ministry of Health and Child Care spokesperson, Mr Donald Mujiri, said vaccination is ongoing at public health centres.
“Vaccinations were being administered at all static facilities and outreach teams visited hard-to-reach areas and all children below the age of five years were vaccinated irrespective of their vaccination status,” he said.
“At least 85 percent of the children have been vaccinated and of the 7 413 children affected by measles, 5 600 have recovered.
“The exercise covered all the areas countrywide and it is still ongoing until we have reached 95 percent of children under five years.”
He said Manicaland province remains a hotspot of the measles outbreak.
Community Working Group on Health executive director, Mr Itai Rusike, urged the authorities to step up vaccination awareness campaigns.
“The response to the current measles outbreak is not just the responsibility of the health sector alone as everyone has a role to play, including religious leaders, school health coordinators, community health workers, traditional leaders, parents and guardians in order to achieve the target of vaccinating 95 percent of the children.
“It is not necessary to lose lives from a vaccine-preventable disease like measles, especially given that the measles vaccine has been proven to be safe, effective and inexpensive,” said Mr Rusike.
