Measles immunisation was successful - Advisor

Dr. Mark Grabowsky, Senior Advisor of the American Red Cross on Friday night described the measles immunisation exercise in Ghana as successful, which would result in a zero record in subsequent years throughout the country.

"The measles immunisation exercise, in Ghana had been encouraging and this is a clear indication that the country is likely to record a zero per cent of measles in subsequent years," he stressed.

Dr. Grabowsky was addressing members of the Red Cross Society at a cocktail in Accra, organised by the Ghana Red Cross Society for foreign and local Red Cross Observers who were in the country to assist in the measles campaign and immunisation exercise.

The reception was also for members to share ideas and get a feed back from members who were in the fields and to bid farewell to the American Red Cross as they left the country.

In all about 14, 350 volunteers from various districts throughout the country assisted the Red Cross to carry out the exercise.

The World Health Organization, (WHO), UNICEF, Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society with support from the Ministry of Health financed the exercise.

Dr. Grabowsky said it was surprising that the exercise succeeded in Ghana even though this was the first time such an exercise had been organised throughout the country and that the hospitals would convert measles wards for other sicknesses since the country was no more going to record measles cases.

He commended the government for making the exercise successful and that the American Red Cross would continue to give any assistance to Ghana.

Mrs. Theresa Babero Nobiya, acting Secretary General of the Ghana Red Cross commended the American Red Cross and others who helped to achieve the success of the exercise.

She said the role of the Red Cross was to offer social services and expressed the gratitude that a great number of children were immunised out of the about 8 million children targeted to be immunised.

The exercise, which started on December 9, is expected to end on Sunday December 15.