Twenty percent of South Africa’s children have not been vaccinated against polio and measles.
While new outbreaks of polio are currently claiming the lives of children in at least eight African countries, there are still parts of South Africa where all children are not vaccinated against polio and measles.
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New campaign against polio and measles
This is the reason why the South African Department of Health launched a mass immunisation campaign. The objective of this campaign is to give children booster doses that will provide them with extra protection against polio and measles.
“South Africa has been fortunate not to have had a case of polio since 1989,” said professor Hussey, Paediatric Infectious Division, at the University of Cape Town and the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. “Eradication of measles and polio is possible, because there are safe and effective vaccines available to prevent infections. When all susceptible persons in a community are immunised, infections can be prevented from occurring and transmission from person-to-person is combated.”
The campaign is part of South Africa’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation. The aim is to find a strategy to prevent measles and polio outbreaks in susceptible populations. This programme complements the international initiative led by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Professor Hussey launched the campaign in the Western Cape by giving the Western Cape premier, premier Ebrahim Rasool’s four-year-old son, Tanwir-Sadr Rasool, his polio drops.
Nigerian resistance against vaccines
Nigeria is currently the African country with the highest percentage of poliovirus occurrence. This is the result of a vaccine boycott. They believe the vaccine is a American plot to spread Aids and infertility.
The WHO launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988. At that time polio was endemic in more than 125 countries on five continents. This disease paralysed more than 1 000 children every day. The measles control strategy was launched in 1999. Over a million children were dying as a consequence of measles at that stage.
"The goal of polio eradication by 2005 is feasible," according to Professor Hussey. "In the case of measles, the plan is to halve the deaths by 50%. The coverage target in South Africa for fully immunised children under one year is 90%."
Polio and measles vaccines have been available to children free of charge since the late fifties and early eighties respectively.
What all parents should do
The South African Department of Health urges parents, guardians, caregivers and the general public to take their children of five and under for immunisation to their nearest clinics of immunisation posts. This has to be done even if the children are up to date with their routine immunisations. The department stresses that polio drops need to be administered twice before the age of five for full protection against the poliovirus.
What is polio?
The poliovirus invades the nervous system, and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. It can strike at any age, but over 50% of cases affects children under the age of three. The virus enters the body through the mouth and multiplies in the intestines. Among those paralysed, 5% - 10% die when their breathing muscles become immobilised. One in 200 infections leads to irreversible paralysis, usually in the legs. The virus can spread before any paralysis can be detected.
What is measles?
Measles is an acute infectious disease of childhood. It spreads from person to person by means of coughing and sneezing. It is a deadly disease and can kill between 5-15% of affected people. It is characterised by fever, a cough, a sore mouth and eyes, and a rash. Gastrointestinal and pulmonary problems are common complications. Most deaths tend to occur in infants and young children. Approximately 800 000 children die annually from measles complications in developing countries. Children who survive, could be incapacitated by brain damage or lung diseases.
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