Thousands receive measles vaccinations

Main Stories, National
Source:

The National, Tuesday October 29th, 2013

 MORE than 2,000 children have been vaccinated against measles in West Sepik, the Health Department says. 

In a statement, it said 2,875 children were vaccinated in the past four days. No new cases had been reported since the outbreak on Oct 18. 

“(This is because of) the quick response from the provincial authority and the Vanimo Green district in mobilising resources and manpower to immunise children under five years of age,” health secretary Pasco Kase said. 

“The National Department of Health has sent in the required number of vaccines while the World Health Organisation office in PNG provided the technical support required.”

Areas covered in the vaccination included 21 villages, Kilipau in the Bewani Health Centre area, 15 settlements in Vanimo Urban, health center vaccination at Dapu Urban clinic and setting up of vaccination posts at major bus stops.

The vaccination programme will continue in all the districts for the next four weeks. 

Kase commended everyone for the quick response through the coordination of the provincial task force. 

“I urge every parent to get their children for vaccination and for health facilities in West Sepik, East Sepik and all hospitals and clinics in the country to be alert in detecting measles cases.” According to the department, three measles cases involving children were confirmed in Vanimo by the Central Public Health Laboratory at the Port Moresby General Hospital on Oct 17. 

The last outbreak occurred in 2005. 

The three affected children are from two villages in the Vanimo-Green district located close to the PNG-Indonesia border.