MEASLES CASES GO DOWN IN W. REGION (BACK PAGE)

Measles cases in the Western Region dropped from 434 in 2005 to 28 in 2007.
Dr (Mrs) Linda Vanotoo, the acting Western Regional Director of Health, who disclosed this, also stated that there had been no measles death in the country since 2002.
Dr (Mrs) Vanotoo made this statement when she briefed the press on this year’s integrated maternal and child health ( IMCH) campaign in the region, on the theme; "Healthy mothers and children make a better Ghana".
She said since September, 2003, there had not been any reported case of wild polio virus and this had been attributed mainly to the successful and improved routine immunisation in the country.
Dr Vanotoo said the region had reactivated its intersectoral committees to plan, organise and monitor the implementation of the IMCH.
The committees, she said, would be involved in social mobilisation, publicity, financial and logistics management, transport mobilisation and assessment of implementation.
She said during the period of the campaign, vitamin A capsules would be given to children aged six months to five years and breastfeeding mothers with children less than two months to make them strong and healthy.
In addition, polio immunisation would be administered to children aged zero to five years, while de-worming tablets would be given to children aged two years and above for good health, Dr Vanotoo said.
She advised mothers to immunise their children to protect them against childhood diseases.
She entreated pregnant women to attend ante-natal clinic regularly to benefit from all services required for a healthy pregnancy and added that they should also ensure that they deliver at a health facility.
Dr Vanotoo urged the mothers to start breastfeeding within 30 minutes after delivery and give the child only breast milk till six months, after which they could add other foods.