Ashanti Region to immunise about one million children

Atwiwa (A/R), Nov. 2, GNA - About one million out of six million targeted children under five years to be immunized nationwide would come from Ashanti Region alone.

Dr Kofi Asare, the Regional Director of Health who announced this on Thursday at the ongoing immunization exercise in Kumasi said 1620 teams had been mobilized to carry out the work under the theme: "For Healthy Childhood let's fight measles, polio and malaria." He said this when the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Joachim Saweka visited the region as part of a tour to some health related programmes being supported by the organization. Dr Asare said, of the figure, about 413,000 insecticide treated mosquito bed nets would be supplied free to children below the age of two years.

The five-day exercise, which sought to immunize all children with polio and measles vaccine from November 1 to 5, 2006 has to start ahead of date in some designated centres because of large expected numbers. Together with the Regional Minister, Mr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, the WHO Representative visited some centres in the Atwiwa Nwabiagya district and personally assisted in administering the vaccines to the children. As early as 1100 hours, some centres had immunized close to 200 children with large numbers still waiting to be attended to.

Dr Sawaka said the region was doing very well in terms of health activities and noted that collaboration with WHO had been successful. "This explains why there are many projects being undertaken in the region to improve the health of the populace," he said.

Mr Ansah, in response, said in spite of the good health records, a lot still needed to be done to help better improve the lives of the people.

He said the integrated approach of the campaign demanded that all joined to give good health to the populace since a healthy people produced an efficient labour force.

The Regional Minister said government was committed to promoting a healthier life for children and a good education with the immunization exercise and the introduction of the capitation grant.