Programme improves vaccination

AN immunisation programme aimed at supporting provincial health authorities reduce the impact of vaccine-preventable diseases was carried out in Madang last week.
The Health Department said Madang had a very low immunisation coverage over the last nine years.
The initiative was carried out through the accelerated immunisation and health systems strengthening (AIHSS) programme.
It is supported by the Australian and New Zealand governments and Gavi – a vaccine alliance with technical support from the World Health Organisation and the United Nation’s Children’s Fund.
World Vision had implemented the programme in at least 13 provinces in Papua New Guinea and are supporting the outreach patrols to provide routine vaccine access to all children under a year old.
Madang town clinic sister-in-charge Judie Alingou said the programme had boosted immunisation coverage in the province.
“After nine years, the AIHSS programme has helped us to complete our first mobile patrol and we are now preparing to go into the second round,” she said,
“We give vaccines to children who have missed out on their immunisation as well as those that had not completed their immunisation.”
Immunisation coordinator for Bogia Herman Yiyiri said the programme had improved immunisation coverage in the district and the province.
“Through the assistance of World Vision, we were able to provide fuel for the health workers to travel to Banapass, a remote area in Bogia,” he said.
By 2022, more than 415,000 children under a year old in 12 provinces are expected to be vaccinated.
This would increase the routine immunisation coverage rate for the immunisation programme from 30 to 80 per cent.