Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Borno State government has said it was targeting about two million children for the second round of immunization against measles this week.
Executive Director, State Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr Sule Mele disclosed weekend in Maiduguri at a round-table that the immunization exercise which starts on 16th and runs till 23rd targets 1,742475 children.
“We are targeting children from nine (9) months to seven (7) years and the exercise will take place in 23 accessible local governments in the state from Saturday 16th to Friday 23rd November,” he said.
Mele represented by the Director of Disease Control, Babagana Abiso said the immunization campaign will however not take place at four inaccessible and hard-to-reach local governments due to security challenge in the areas. These local governments include Marte, Kukawa, Guzamala and Abadam located in the northern part of Borno.
He also said the measles immunization exercise will be conducted simultenously with vaccination against Meningitis with
2,459965 children targeted.
Children between the ages of one (1) and seven (7) years are targeted,” he disclosed.
Measles according to medical experts, is a disease that causes fever and red spots or rashes on the skin. The disease, very contagious, is caused by an infection which often last for four days or more before the rashes appear.
Meningitis is also caused by viral infection: either fungal or bacterial. It is more prevalent during heat or dry season. Both measles and meningitis can be prevented by vaccine. Borno government said it has enough vaccine to immunize targeted children.