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Children who have missed some immunisations will be able to catch up on these next week during a child health campaign, the City of Johannesburg health department said.
Children between 12 and 59 months will also be given Vitamin A and de-worming tablets, departmental spokesman Nkosinathi Nkabinde said, adding that children between six and 59 months could have their nutritional state assessed.
The campaign runs from Monday to September 20.
"The... department requests parents, care-givers, educators amongst others to take full advantage of this campaign and help reverse preventable deaths among children and infants."
Member of the mayoral committee for health will visit clinics around the city and people from the department will visit day care centres and pre-schools to ensure as many children as possible take advantage of the services offered during the campaign.
Nutritional assessments to take place too
Vitamin A is essential for eye health and the proper functioning
of the immune system. A chewable de-worming tablet would be given to children to
control and reduce diseases accompanying worm infestation.
"All children visiting the posts will be assessed for their nutritional status."
Nkabinde said the mid upper arm circumference would be measured and children requiring further care would be referred to appropriate health workers.
Children's clinic cards will also be checked. "If any immunisation was missed, then it will be given at the [campaign] post."
Parents needed to sign consent forms and give them in at day care and preschools so that their children could receive the services. They should also bring their children's clinic cards to record the immunisation and administration of Vitamin A. – (Sapa, September 2009)
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