All 81 people test HIV-negative at Kalba in the Northern Region

Out of 81 people who were tested for the HIV virus at Kalba, a community in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Northern Region, not a single one was found to be a carrier of the virus.

The 81 people aged between 15 and 72 years, were made up of 55 females and 26 males.

Mr. Thomas Bebeh Sennor, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Director of Health Services disclosed this during the launch of two new vaccines for children under-five years of age at Kalba on Monday.

He said the HIV sentinel survey focused on pregnant women, adding that having 55 women all testing negative to the virus was good news.

The District Director of Health Services said the two new vaccines known as pneumococcal and Rotavirus vaccines would be given to children under-five, to protect them against pneumonia and diarrhea.

He appealed to the health volunteers to prepare themselves adequately towards the administration of the vaccines for a successful exercise.

Mr. Isaac Dramani Mumuni, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Chief Executive (DCE), said the introduction of the two new vaccines was not only to make children stay healthy but was also one giant step that the government was taking towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on Health.

The DCE appealed to the people to become ambassadors of the new vaccines by spreading the message among their family and community members.

He further appealed to them to ensure that their children were protected against any of the two diseases and also to ensure that government investment did not go down the drain.

Kalbawura Saaka Amalia, Chief of Kalba, commended the government and health authorities in the district for their hard work and appealed to his colleague chiefs to help sensitize their community members for a successful vaccination exercise.**