Vaccination against measles commences in Aweil town

Authorities in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State say a measles vaccination exercise has begun in Aweil town.

The measles vaccination campaign is targeting 259,733 children across the State.

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases and it spreads through coughing and sneezing by infected person.

The virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to 2 hours.

According to a health official the measles vaccination campaign will be launched in Aweil West, South, North, Center, and East Counties.

Santino Ngong Chan, the expanded Immunization Program Manager in the State Ministry of Health says the Integrated Measles Campaign Deworming Vitamin A is conducted by the Ministry of Health with support from W.H.O, UNICEF, ACF, IOM and others.

He says they are targeting children between the ages of 6 months to five years.

He expects parents to bring their children for the measles vaccination within seven days.

“Across the State, we have distributed the vaccines in all the centers at the County level. We have started administering the vaccine to children in Aweil town with an aim to prevent the spread of measles. So within this seven days we are going to vaccinate two hundred and fifty nine thousand seven hundred and thirty three children”, he explained.

He also encouraged the public to follow the routine vaccinations to prevent children from Measles and other diseases.

According to WHO, measles is spread by coughing and sneezing, close personal contact, or direct contact with infected nasal or throat secretions. The first sign of disease is usually a high fever, which begins about 10 to 12 days after exposure to the virus and lasts 4 to 7 days.