Jiwaka forms advocacy group to fight measles

THE health division in Jiwaka is forming an advocacy group to fight against measles and polio in the province.
The group comprises representatives of churches, business houses, councilors, community leaders, Anglicare, public servants, provincial aids council and the media.
The committee had its first meeting last Thursday at the Kurumul provincial headquarter. Joining them were Dr Prashun Rana of the World Health Organisation and Sailesh Pandey of the UN Children’s Fund who are working in the province.
The group is headed by Sister Kolly Bang.
It launched its measles-rubella immunisation programme on Friday in Banz town.
Pandey said the success of the vaccination programme depended on the awareness. He urged parents to take their children under five-years-old to the vaccinations.
Pandey said polio and measles could only be prevented by vaccinations.
Bang said the vaccination programme would start from July 11.
About 91 per cent of the children in the province have already been vaccinated.
“With the measles vaccinations, we are targeting to cover 95 percent and above,” she said.
Bang said for measles, children would be given injections.
“We need transport to move around and give injections to children. Hiring vehicles cost us a lot of money in the polio rollout programme,” she said.