By
Albert Futukpor, GNA
Tamale, Oct. 15, GNA – The Northern Regional
branch of the Ghana Red Cross Society, has deployed volunteers to communities
in the Tamale and Sagnarigu Assemblies as part of the measles rubella campaign
for care-givers to avail their children for immunization.
A total of 250 volunteers are in communities
in the Tamale Metropolis, whiles 120 are in the Sagnarigu Municipality,
visiting homes to educate care-givers and or parents about the measles rubella
campaign.
The volunteers, before being deployed to the
communities, were trained on key messages on measles rubella campaign and
information required on the Supplementary Immunization Activity to ensure
success of the campaign.
The deployment of the volunteers to the
communities is in line with the government’s programme to undertake a
nationwide immunization on measles rubella from October 17, to October 22, this
year to vaccinate children between the ages of nine months to five years
against the diseases.
Mr Abdul-Rahamani Yussif, Northern Regional
Manager of the Ghana Red Cross Society, who spoke during the closing of the
training in Tamale, urged the volunteers “To visit houses, talk to care-givers
about the measles rubella campaign, and refer them to the nearest health centre
for their children to be immunized against the diseases.”
The Northern Regional branch of the Ghana Red
Cross Society is undertaking the measles rubella campaign in collaboration with
the American Red Cross, and the Ghana Health Service under its Expanded
Programme on Immunization.
Mr Yussif said the communities within the two
assemblies had been zoned and assigned supervisors, who would supervise the
volunteers to ensure that all children within the age range were referred to
health facilities for vaccination against the diseases.
Madam Patience Buahin, who is from the Health
Promotion Unit of the Northern Regional Health Directorate, said health
officers, would visit houses in the Region to vaccinate children, who fell
within the age range, adding, care-givers could also visit health facilities to
vaccinate their children.
Madam Buahin advised that any adverse events
recorded after the vaccination must be reported immediately for action to be
taken on them.
She emphasized that any child, who previously
received measles rubella injection, qualified for this impending immunization
campaign to build antigens to fight the diseases.
Madam Fiam Nusienyo Demanya, a Volunteer from
Dohinaayili community in the Tamale Metropolis, said she would convince parents
especially mothers to avail their children for the immunization exercise to
avoid the diseases.
GNA