Dry season affects measles-rubella, polio campaign in Madang

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MODILON hospital staff in Madang will take time to reach villages in Middle Ramu and Bogia districts for the measles-rubella and polio campaign because of Ramu River’s low water levels, an official says.
Madang emergency operations centre coordinator Karoi Kamac said dry weather had seen Ramu River water levels fall affecting travel along it.
“There has been a delay in the vaccination campaign because the river that we are supposed to travel on using outboard motor cannot be used now,” Kamac said.
Usino-Bundi, Raicoast, Sumkar and Madang districts started their campaigns already with Ramu and Bogia yet to start.
“We will use dinghies to travel as far as we can and then use canoes in the shallower areas to reach all the villages,” he said.
Kamac said health workers would visit Josephstahl health centre in Middle Ramu using the Sogoram River and reach Kauma health centre in Bogia by canoe using the Guam River.
He said they had a successful vaccination campaign last year covering the entire province with the support of the provincial government, health workers, volunteers and locals.
A national emergency operations centre report showed that Madang led the country in terms of polio vaccination coverage.
He thanked the United Nation Children’s Fund (Unicef), World Health Organisation (Who) and other donor partners for funding and logistical support with last year’s polio campaign and presently with the measles-rubella campaign.