Via The Bush Chicken: Nearly 900,000 Children Vaccinated Against Polio in Liberia. Excerpt:
Liberian health authorities have reported that the recent polio, measles and deworming campaign across the country was a success.
According to Adolphus Clarke, an estimated 900,000 children were vaccinated against polio. Clark is the Deputy Program Manager for the Integrated Measles and Polio Campaign at the Ministry of Health.
He said the vaccination campaign occurred from May 8 to 14 and targeted children under the age of five.
The campaign was much needed because, during the Ebola outbreak, many children were not immunized. The situation created a cause for concern as health authorities feared another health disaster.
Even during the period of the campaign, at least seven of the 562 suspected measles patients died. The deaths came from Margibi, with three deaths; Montserrado with two; and Grand Bassa and Nimba, which both recorded one death.
Clark said, “The Ministry of Health was able to reach 588,677 children with the measles vaccine, which also represents 98% of the period covered during the immunization campaign.”
He also said the Ministry of Health was able to deworm 509,813 children; which represents 98% of the target. The deworming campaign aimed to treat 522,732 children between 12-month-old to five-year-old.
According to the World Health Organization, deworming is an effective treatment against infections caused by a group of parasites known as helminths, generally referred to as worms. Common infections caused by these parasites include internal bleeding, diarrhea, and poor absorption of nutrients, which can negatively impact the growth and development of children
