Immunisation can prevent measles

THE two confirmed positive cases of measles in the country only reaffirms the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations that countries should show that the number of children vaccinated exceeds the targeted 95 per cent of the population under five-years-old.
Following the polio outbreak in June 2018, PNG vaccinated more than one million children under five years old against measles, rubella and polio in a nationwide vaccination campaign that was completed in mid-July 2019 led by the Health Department, with support from the WHO and Unicef.
To date, the country has completed eight rounds of polio campaigns, including three sub-national and five nationwide vaccination campaigns.
PNG’s low immunisation coverage for many years has taught everyone a big lesson with the polio outbreak last year. Former Minister of Health and HIV/AIDS Elias Kapavore said: “That lesson has put our children at risk. With our experience in the outbreak response, adequate funds, good planning, commitment and technical support from all stakeholders, we now have a good opportunity to change the situation and deliver better health services to our people”.
The integrated campaign vaccinated 1.28 million children under five years old against polio while 1.17 million children aged six months to five years got vaccinated against measles-rubella.
The coverage data indicates that the number of children vaccinated exceeded the targeted 95 per cent of the population.
The campaign mobilised more than 12,000 health workers and volunteers who were trained as vaccinators, surveillance officers and mobilisers in one of the biggest vaccination campaigns in the country.
Outbreaks of measles have hit every region of the planet this year, with the virus emerging in places such as the United States where it had once been considered eliminated. Worldwide, reported cases jumped 300 per cent in the first three months of 2019, compared with the same period last year.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to humans.
One person with it can infect 12 to 18 others. Doctors can treat only the symptoms: fever, cough and a rash.
Deaths in babies occur from complications such as pneumonia. And for those who survive, measles can leave a lasting mark — the possibility of weakened immune systems and neurological complications later in life.
Our fellow Pacific Island friend, Samoa was hit with a measles outbreak in September 2019.
As of Dec 25, there were 5,600 confirmed cases of measles and 80 deaths, out of a Samoan population of 200,874.
Over two per cent of the population has been infected.
WHO reports Samoa’s vaccination rate was too low to protect its people when measles arrived, probably brought by a traveller from overseas, which has suffered its own measles outbreak over the last year.
Four years ago, roughly 85 per cent of one-year-olds in Samoa were vaccinated, in 2017 that dropped to 60 per cent.
Immunisation is considered one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions in the world.
In fact, immunisations prevent two to three million deaths across the world every year from diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and measles.
And that is why health experts have been calling for everyone, including parents to help ensure their children are immunised with vaccines that are freely being given in government-run health facilities.
Childhood vaccination has never been about one child and one needle, about a parent’s right to decide in isolation.
It is a community responsibility, a responsibility that objecting parents shirk.
Vaccination is about keeping all our children safe.