PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Gambia launches nationwide meningitis campaign
Banjul, Gambia (PANA) - Gambia's Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW), in partnership with the United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Expanded Program on Immunization on Thursday announced a nationwide meningitis campaign from February 2 to 8 oat no cost to patients.
The campaign, aimed at immunizing at least 416,000 children, between the ages of 1 and 7, is designed to eliminate the disease in the country.
Officials urged parents to come in their numbers and get their children immunized on dates assigned to their communities.
“Meningitis is a deadly disease and mainly affects the brain. It affects the membrane but it’s preventable,” Sanjally Trawally, acting director at the ministry of health. told a press conference in Banjul.
Buya Jallow, immunization officer at UNICEF, added: “We want to ensure that every child receives this vaccination, the vaccination is of high quality.”
Buba Darboe, program manager at expanded program on immunization, added that the project will be strengthened within the country because Gambia is one of the countries where meningitis is prevalent in Africa.
According to official, the disease, which has claimed many lives, is more pronounced from December to June.
A disease that impairs breathing and affects the ear, claimed nine lives in 2012.
In 2013, a successful campaign to deal with the disease was launched, targeting patients aged between 1 and 29.
-0- PANA MSS/VAO 24Jan2019
The campaign, aimed at immunizing at least 416,000 children, between the ages of 1 and 7, is designed to eliminate the disease in the country.
Officials urged parents to come in their numbers and get their children immunized on dates assigned to their communities.
“Meningitis is a deadly disease and mainly affects the brain. It affects the membrane but it’s preventable,” Sanjally Trawally, acting director at the ministry of health. told a press conference in Banjul.
Buya Jallow, immunization officer at UNICEF, added: “We want to ensure that every child receives this vaccination, the vaccination is of high quality.”
Buba Darboe, program manager at expanded program on immunization, added that the project will be strengthened within the country because Gambia is one of the countries where meningitis is prevalent in Africa.
According to official, the disease, which has claimed many lives, is more pronounced from December to June.
A disease that impairs breathing and affects the ear, claimed nine lives in 2012.
In 2013, a successful campaign to deal with the disease was launched, targeting patients aged between 1 and 29.
-0- PANA MSS/VAO 24Jan2019
