The Mountain Journal
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Health workers in the counties have been mobilised to vaccinate 28 million children aged between nine and 14 against the measles and typhoid.
The preparations are before the launch of the vaccination on July 5 at the national level and in the counties.
In the counties, the health workers will establish centres, visit learning centres where the majority of the learners within the age bracket are.
In Murang’a County, UNICEF has outlined that 441,167 children will be vaccinated during the 10 days period, designed to eradicate the two diseases that affect the young.
During a stakeholders workshop, County Secretary Dr Newton Mwangi and the Health CEC Dr Fredrick Mbugua detailed that they target to immunise 441,167 children will be immunised, as well as the underage yet to be enrolled in schools.
Mbugua told the forum also attended by UNICEF official Mr Charles Kang’ethe that the exercise will be a major one as all the 700 schools alongside the ECDE centres will be covered by the vaccinators.
“Vaccination is a crucial exercise as parents are requested to provide consent for immunisation of their children,” said Mbugua.
He added that 108,337 will be immunised against measles and others 332,830 against typhoid
The county Secretary said the vehicles for the assignment will be facilitated by the county government’s efforts to promote preventive measures.
“ It is the high time all parents cooperated to ensure the programme will be successful, in a mission to eradicate the disease that has killed hundreds of children in the world,” said Mwangi.
County Disease Surveillance Officer Chris Mwangi said the vaccination against the two diseases was crucial, after 46 of samples submitted to Kemri for in depth investigation this year four turned positive.
“ The four cases were discovered in Kiharu,Kangema and Gatanga sub counties, thus requiring the parents and all the stakeholders to support the programme,” said Mwangi.
Mr Kang’ethe revealed that nationally they target to immunise 28 million children, thus need total support from all the stakeholders.
The world, he explained, was heading to eradicate Measles similar to polio owing to coordination efforts on the ground facilitated by UNICEF..
“ There is a strategy that will be employed in the counties that achieve the set target for the success of the vaccination programme,” said Kang’ethe.
In the forum, the education officers asked for coordinated exercise to avoid disrupting learning in schools.
