62,638 children in Tema to be immunised against polio

The Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate has targeted 62,638 children aged below five years to be immunised during the first round of the sub-national immunizations which starts today.

Mr Aggudey Sika-Nartey, Disease Control Coordinator at the Health Directorate, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said, the immunization would be done for three days during which each child would be given polio vaccine and vitamin 'A' supplement.

Mr Sika-Nartey said the Directorate was using 232 immunization teams for the exercise, each team is made up of two volunteers.

Thirty-nine supervisors and three coordinators would also be involved in the immunization exercise to monitor and ensure that the Directorate met its target.

He indicated that apart from carrying out the exercise at all weighing centres in the metropolis, the immunization teams would visit schools and households to vaccinate the children.

He called on parents and caregivers to allow their children to be immunized against polio as it could paralyse the child for life.

Mr Sika-Nartey further noted that, Ghana was almost at the point of being certified as a polio free country, therefore the need for parents and stakeholders to ensure that children aged between zero to 59 months got immunized.