Gauteng encourages parents to consent to measles vaccination in schools
Gauteng has since recorded a total of 15 confirmed measles cases since the declaration of the national measles outbreak in October 2022.
Gauteng Department of Health (GDH) has planned outreach programmes to create awareness and encouraged parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are immunised against measles.
Gauteng has since recorded a total of 15 confirmed measles cases since the declaration of the national measles outbreak in October 2022.
Four of the 15 recorded cases were reported in the Tshwane district.
Gauteng MEC for Health Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said the department is currently conducting a province-wide measles outbreak response vaccination campaign targeting children from six months to 15 years old.
WATCH: MEC @NkomoNomantu as she expresses her appreciation to the parents of the children who received the measles shot. She also encourages parents to use the education program offered to parents who want to learn more about immunisation. #MeaslesOutbreak #GPBacktoSchool pic.twitter.com/lNmlXApboO
— Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) January 19, 2023
The vaccination campaign for measles is taking place in health facilities from Monday to Friday.
The campaign will run until the third week of February 2023.
“As of January 6, more than 43 000 children have been vaccinated in the health facilities to protect them against measles,” she said.
She said the department will be working with the Department of Education to roll out the measles vaccination programme to early childhood development centres and schools.
In light of the measles campaign, the school health nurses are currently administering measles vaccination shots to learners at the Podisago Primary School in Soshaguwe. The campaign is targeting chikdren between the ages of 6 months and 15 years.#MeaslesOutbreak pic.twitter.com/vkLHjq4tZS
— Gauteng Health (@GautengHealth) January 19, 2023
“Parents and guardians are urged to sign consent forms so that their children can be vaccinated,” she said.
She said children need to bring the Road to Health booklet on the day of vaccination.
Marx said the City implemented a measles vaccination campaign as a preventative measure, targeting children from the ages of six months to 15 in late December 2022.
“In addition to this, the City launched an awareness campaign to mobilise and keep communities informed through local radio stations and social media,” she said.
Although there is no measles “cluster outbreak” in Tshwane, the municipality’s health department encouraged parents to have their children vaccinated.
Earlier this month MMC for Health Rina Marx said the NICD has indicated that the current measles outbreak in South Africa is due to low vaccine coverage.
Measles is a highly contagious but preventable disease.
Symptoms include fever and a rash, cough, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and coryza (running nose). Complications can include diarrhoea, dehydration, brain infection (encephalitis), blindness and even death.
Measles complications are more severe in young infants who are under two years of age and in children who are malnourished.
“I would like to assure our residents that the situation is being closely monitored and our outbreak response teams stand ready to manage the situation and mitigate the spread as far as possible,” said Marx.
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