Enchi (WN/R), Oct. 10, GNA – The Aowin Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) says it is targetting a 100 per cent coverage of children in the second round of the polio vaccination exercise.
The programme, which began on Thursday, October 8 would end on Sunday, October 11, 2020.
Madam Rita Attah Owusu, Municipal Health Director, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said for the second round children would also get vitamin A to improve their eye sights.
She said for the first exercise the Directorate targeted about 31, 637 children under five years, particularly those born day zero to 4 years and 11 months in the municipality.
She said at the end of the four-day exercise 28,498 children, representing 90.2 per cent were vaccinated.
The Municipal Health Director expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome and said the plan was to ensure 100 per cent coverage, adding that the second round would provide an opportunity for children who missed the previous vaccination.
“The vaccine is not for COVID-19 as some people are circulating and it will not harm our children so l will plead with everyone in the community to embrace the exercise that is ongoing and provide our health officials with the needed assistance,” she said.
Madam Owusu assured the public that the vaccine was safe and would improve the health status of children and encouraged parents, caregivers and community leaders to help vaccinate children under five years.
“Every child vaccinated will be marked on the right little finger. We kindly urge the public that the markings are not poisonous so they should not clean it because that will help our health officials identify those who have been immunized,” she added.
GNA