WHO accuses unidentified groups of hampering vaccination campaigns in Sudan
April 26, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – The World Health Organisation (WHO) accused unidentified groups in Sudan of promoting rumours against its vaccination campaigns for special interests,
WHO expert Salah Haithami announced at a news conference on Thursday that Sudan has acquired vaccines to eradicate children’s pneumonia which he described as a deadly disease.
Haithami further appealed to Sudanese families to take advantage of vaccination week, which began on 24 April, and review their vaccination cards to ensure that their children have taken their first and second doses for measles.
WHO recommends that every child receive two doses of the measles vaccine.
The first dose of measles is recommended for children aged 9-15 months of age, followed by a second dose to be given either through routine vaccination programs to children in the second year of life, when entering school or during mass campaigns targeting children under the age of five.
Vaccination week aims at raising the ratio of first and second measles doses received by 80% in all sites offering routine immunisation services, as well as improving levels in other sites in which more than 10% of children haven’t taken either the first or second doses.
WHO revealed that registered cases of measles in Sudan reached 1,168 in 2013, the highest of which were reported in Gedaref state followed by North Kordofan state, leading to 12 deaths overall.
(ST)