The Ministry of Health will embark on a national integrated measles and rubella vaccination campaign for children in the country.

“The vaccination will be targeting 341,446 children aged 9-59 months old across the country. In addition, children aged 6-59 months will be supplemented with vitamin A and deworming tablets,” said Modou Njai, director health promotion and education at the ministry. 

He added that “during this period the Ministry of Health will also seize the opportunity to vaccinate children who missed their routine vaccines.”

He urged parents to come with their children’s infant welfare cards to the vaccination centres.

“Vaccinating children with Measles-Rubella Vaccine is a proven strategy to break the chain of transmission of the virus among the population. 

“The vaccine in use is safe and effective as proven by WHO and partners. 

“Therefore, vaccination remains a top priority in the Ministry of Health’s agenda, thus all children under the age of five years must be vaccinated for the country to eliminate Measles and Rubella,” he added.

Meanwhile, he said vaccination teams and social mobilisers will be visiting community Bantabas, day care centres, nursery schools, markets, ferry crossing points, health centres and in strategic locations in the communities to vaccinate all eligible children.

“The Ministry of Health would like to appeal to all families and caregivers, community and religious leaders to ensure that eligible children are vaccinated,” he continued.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba