DISTRICT LAUNCH OF MEASLES-RUBELLA AND POLIO VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

District Launch of Measles- Rubella and Polio vaccination campaign

Kayunga District leadership has launched the District mass immunization campaign against measles, rubella and polio to prevent the spread of the virus among children. The campaign which is termed as measles-rubella and polio immunization would ensure that children aged 9 months to under 15years are immunized against measles and rubella and then children from o months to 5 years with oral polio vaccine.

The measles-rubella outbreak response campaign comes after the government confirmation of measles and rubella outbreaks in about 109 districts and rubella out breaks in 59 districts.

Mr. Sserwanga W. Tom, District Chairperson, who has officiated at the launch of this campaign today on 17th October 2019, said that teams of health workers would be in schools from 16th to 18th October 2019 and later will move to health facilities, routine immunization outreaches and designated immunization posts to vaccinate all eligible children. He therefore urged caregivers to take their children to the nearest immunization centres to receive these lifesaving vaccines.

He said that the vaccination was free of charge saying, “I wish to assure the general public that the vaccine is safe and effective to prevent measles- rubella and  polio and protect children from such deadly diseases, hence the effort to encourage all parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are vaccinated during these exercises”. The District Chairperson thanked parents who had accepted to eradicate measles- rubella and polio.

Mr. Ashaba Allan Ganafa, the Chief Administrative Officer said it is very prudent for children to be immunized against measles, rubella and polio because these diseases can kill or cripple infected persons for life. “The immunization campaign in Kayunga District, he said, presents an opportunity for children to be protected against such deadly diseases”. He therefore appealed to the people of Kayunga to play their part in ensuring that their children in the target age group are vaccinated against measles, rubella and polio.

According to the District Health Officer, Dr Matovu Ahmed, Measles, rubella and polio are highly infectious diseases that can spread quickly among young children. Any person, young or old, who has not been immunized, can be easily infected by these diseases”.

Unlike the polio vaccines, which is being administered orally to children from birth to age 5, the measles-rubella vaccine is administered by injection for children aged 9 months to 15 years.