A total of 78,724 children have been immunized in Tema and its environs during this year’s Polio Immunization Exercise which started from October 27 to October 29.
The Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate targeted a population of 70,878 children under five years, based on last year’s performance, but it exceeded the target population of about 11.1 per cent, and immunized a total of 78,724 children.
Children of six months old and under five years, were given Vitamin A dosage to also help boost their immune system.
In all, a total number of 63,790 of children were given the dosage.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the exercise, Mr Aguddey Sika Nartey, Disease Control Officer, Tema Metropolitan Health Directorate, said the immunization programme which took place in the Eastern, Western, Volta and Greater-Accra Regions became necessary when the wild Polio Virus was detected in Cote D’voire.
He said since some Ivoirians had entered Ghana, the exercise had become necessary to ensure that the crippling Polio disease which had not been recorded in the country since 2008, did not recur.
Mr. Nartey stated that the disease was caused by a virus known as Wild polio virus due to poor sanitation conditions, such poor environmental conditions, poor toilet facilities and poor disposal of refuse.
This, he said, must be checked in order to rid the nation of the disease, adding, the only way to fight Polio and Cholera, was to holistically tackle sanitation problem in the country.
According to him, the Media and the general public had a role to play to ensure that mothers were educated on the need to immunize their children against the Disease.
He encouraged parents to make their children available during such exercises, adding, such projects initiated by the Government was in the interest of the public to ensure quality health care.
Mr. Nartey said lack of commitment on the part of volunteers of the programme, including inadequate logistics, was a major challenge facing his outfit.
Source: Ghana News Agency
