GHS vaccinates 579,740 children in three-day exercise

A total of 579,740 children under five years have been vaccinated in a three-day exercise organised by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to contain the outbreak of poliomyelitis in the Bono, Ahafo and Bono East regions of the country.

The figure exceeds the GHS target of 570,864 under-five children it was expecting to vaccinate in the three regions.

The Deputy Bono Regional Director of Health Services in-charge of Public Health, Dr John Ekow Otoo, attributed the success to cooperation from the public, as well as the various strategies the GHS had in place.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Dr Otoo explained that officials of the GHS made sure to vaccinate all children who were found with their parents, be they at the market, funeral ceremony, church convention or travelling.

He said even though the exercise took place from January 8 to 11, a mop-up exercise was further conducted on January 12 and 13 in order to make sure that no child was left out.

Second round

Dr Otoo said the GHS had scheduled the second round of polio vaccination for February 5 and 6.

“In order for children to receive the full benefit from the exercise, they have to get two dosages of the polio vaccine, thus necessitating that a second round of the polio vaccination exercise be conducted.

The Deputy Bono Regional Director of Health Services in-charge of Public Health, therefore, encouraged parents not to get complacent and think that their children had been vaccinated already, but instead ensure that the children were vaccinated again in the second round in order to get them fully protected against the disease.

Background

Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious viral disease that affects young children.

It is transmitted from person to person mainly through the faecal-oral route.
Initial symptoms of the disease include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs.