By Emmanuel Koffa
GRAND KRU COUNTY-Health authorities in Grand Kru County have reported that at least 16,665 children have been successfully vaccinated following the recent launch of a measles vaccination campaign in the county.
This initiative followed the launch of a nationwide measles vaccine campaign across the country, affecting children under the age range of nine months to under three years old children.
Emmanuel K. T. Davies, Child Survivor Focus Person of the Grand Kru County Health Team said, the measles vaccine campaign aims to combat the rising cases in measles outbreaks and ensure the protection of vulnerable populations, particularly young children.
The Child Survivor Focus Person described the turnout as a significant achievement, reflecting the community’s commitment to safeguarding the health of their children.
The campaign, which began November 25, to December 1, 2024 was initiated in response to an increase in measles cases few years back, which poses a grave risk to unvaccinated children and can lead to severe health complications.
“We are encouraged by the numbers we’ve achieved thus far,”(16,665) said, Emmanuel K. T. Davies, Grand Kru County Child Survivor Focus Person. This shows that parents understand the importance of vaccinations and are taking proactive measures to protect their children from preventable diseases.”
While the vaccination drive has made substantial progress, health authorities are urging parents, particularly mothers of infants, to continue utilizing health facilities across the county.
“We want to emphasize that the measles vaccine campaign is over for the past seven days but other vaccines including the measles vaccine are at all health facilities in the county. “It’s crucial for parents to bring their children to health facilities not only for measles vaccinations but also for routine immunizations and check-ups, ensuring that children receive comprehensive healthcare beyond vaccinations.
Emmanuel K. T. Davies also recognized the commitment of the health authorities in reaching out to all segments of the five Health Districts in the county, ensuring that every child receives the protection they deserve.
He reaffirmed the Grand Kru County health team commitment in the discharge of their duties, emphasizing that health authorities in the county remain optimistic about improving vaccination rates and reducing the incidence of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases in the communities.