Volta Region scores high marks in measles immunization exercise

Data from the Volta Regional Health Directorate on the Supplementary Measles Immunisation exercise last December indicated that a total of 674,281 children representing 95 percent regional coverage were vaccinated during the supplementary campaign.

All the 12 districts in the region recorded 90 per cent and above coverage in the campaign with South-Tongu hitting 100 per cent.


Krachi District recorded the least coverage of 90 per cent, followed by North-Tongu at 91 per cent, and Ketu and Nkwanta districts with 93 per cent each.


Ho District had 94 per cent coverage, Keta and Hohoe, 95 per cent each, Akatsi, Jasikan and Kadjebi districts 97 per cent each.


Kpando District had 99.8 per cent.


The exercise, which was estimated to cover 7.9 million children nationwide according to a national daily of December 11, 2002, was to reduce cases and deaths from measles by 90 per cent within the next four years.

The data showed that Ketu District had the highest number of 592 children not immunised before the exercise while Akatsi had the least of 26 children.


The report said 1,896 children between nine months and 2 years in nine of the 12 districts of the Volta Region never received measles jabs.


The report was mute on the number of children within the nine months to two years bracket who were not immunised in the Kpando, Hohoe and Krachi districts.


The World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the Red Cross, UN Foundation, Japanese government and the Centre for Disease Control of the United States supported the programme that covered the whole country except the Central Region.