Mass vaccination against CSM in UE(Saturday, September 22, 2012. Back Page)

Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga Health workers and volunteers in the Upper East Region will embark on a mass vaccination against the deadly cerebrospinal Meningitis or CSM. The exercise which will start from October 2 to October 12, 2012 will also be carried out in the Northern and Upper West Regions. Persons to be vaccinated are those within the age group of one to 29, including pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers who constitute the most vulnerable group. The meningitis season, starts from October every year. Between January and February 23, 2012 the Upper East Region recorded a total of 102 cases and 16 deaths. During the last outbreak, sporadic cases of both type ‘A’ and W135 strains were recorded in the Upper East Region. Briefing the press at Bolgatanga, the Deputy Regional Director of Health Service in charge of Public Health, Dr. James Akpalie said this time round, the vaccination exercise, known as Men Afric Mass Vaccination is against serotype A, one of the bacteria that causes CSM. Dr. Akpalie said the objective of the campaign is to reduce the incidence of meningitis epidemic that regularly hits the northern sector of Ghana which lies in within Africa’s meningitis belt, maintain stock of vaccines for epidemic response and enhance national capacity in dealing with the situation. He added that the vaccine will give the targeted group a long term protection from CSM caused by serotype A. In the Upper East Region, he said the campaign aims at vaccinating a target of 768, 386 persons representing 95 per cent of the target population, that is persons within the ages of 1 and 29. The Deputy Regional Director said the exercise will take place in health facilities, designated temporary immunization posts set up in schools, markets, lorry stations, churches, and mosques adding that camp out teams will also move and settle in hard to reach communities to administer the injections. Dr. Akpalie said the Men Afric Mass Vaccination will be given as an injection on the left Upper arm by a trained health worker throughout the region and therefore appealed to residents of the region to collaborate to ensure its success. On the possible reaction after receiving the vaccine, he said the most likely reactions include mild pain or swelling at the site of injection, mild fever, mild diarrhea, irritability and loss of appetite. He however gave the assurance that these side effects are not serious and will not last for long. He also advised that in case of adverse reaction, people should not panic but visit the nearest health facility or seek advice from a health work for proper treatment. Dr Akpalie said the involvement of all stakeholders is important in an exercise such as this and therefore called on all including District and Municipal Assembles, churches, mosques and the media to ensure the success of the Men Afric Mass Vaccination serious to prevent deaths, permanent disability and excessive medical cost for diagnosis and treatment. The Upper East Region has had its fair share of the tragedies as a result of CSM outbreak. Between 1996 and 1997 when the region was hit by a major CSM epidemic, 18,703 cases recorded with 1,356 deaths. In 2009, 25 persons died of CSM in the Upper East Region while in 2010, with an outbreak in the Bongo district, 62 people died of CSM in the region out of reported 404 cases. In 2011, out of 212 cases in the region, 40 people lost their lives. Men Afric Mass Vaccination serious to prevent deaths, permanent disability in children and adults and excessive medical cost in terms of diagnosis and treatment. -End-