HEALTH MINISTRY RECORDED MORE MEASLES CASES

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has recorded more than 200 measles cases since the outbreak last month.

Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services Dr Lester Ross announced measles cases have continued to rise within Honiara and Guadalcanal with over 200 cases reported since the outbreak in July.

The number has alarmed the Ministry and they are calling on parents to bring their children to the clinics and health centres for vaccination.

In a media conference today Director of Public Health, Dr Tenneth Dalipanda appealed to parents to make every attempt to bring their children under the age of five years old for vaccination.

“Really there is still along way in terms of immunisation coverage. We would like to advise the public in this regard that we encourage all the mothers, the parents, sometimes only mothers, but I think the daddies too, in think it is time you bring the children if they are less than five years old. Please.Our teams are available in several sites around the city.”

Meanwhile, Director of Maternal and Child Health, Dr Divi Ogaoga says he has learned that mothers have a perception; their children are protected from measles if they have received their first dose of measles vaccination.

Dr Ogaoga explains that children over the age of one, must receive their second dose of vaccination before they are protected.

“I’ve also learnt that from a couple of interviews with mothers and some mothers have a perception that once their kid has received a single dose of measles vaccine they are protected. But I would like to emphasise that a single does of measles does not protect your kid from getting measles. Your kid needs to take a second dose, those are the kids that are older than one.”