Kumasi, Oct. 22, GNA - Dr Kwadwo Odei Antwi-Agyei, National Immunization Programme Manager, said the programme had planned to continue with its Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) to ensure a measles free environment.

He said the aim of the exercise was to help maintain the gains in reducing measles morbidity and mortality achieved in the country over the past eight years which has recorded no death of children from the disease.

Dr Antwi-Agyei was speaking at a meeting with the United Nations (UN) Foundation team on Combined Measles SIA and Vitamin A Campaign in Kumasi on Friday.

The team is currently on a two-day visit to the metropolis under the auspices of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene. The Programme Manager explained that the number of suspected and confirmed measles cases had over the years declined drastically, saying in 1994, about 35,000 suspected measles cases were reported as against 686 cases reported in 2009.

Out of the 686 suspected cases, 101 were confirmed as positive. Measles has been a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children in Ghana in the 1980s and 1990s and was ranked second to malaria in terms of burden of disease in the 1977 Health Assessment. It also accounted for 7.3 per cent of the healthy days of life loss through illness, disability and death.

Dr Antwi-Agyei announced that the programme would from November 3 to 6 provide a second opportunity of measles vaccination and supplementary dose of Vitamin "A" to all children from nine months to 59 months against the disease.

He revealed that in 2009, data at the National Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) indicated that about 105, 606 children were not vaccinated with measles vaccine and expressed the hope that this year's exercise would cover a substantial number of children. Dr Joseph Oduro, Ashanti Regional Deputy Director in-charge of Public Health, commended the efforts being made by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the team to help minimize the incidence of measles, malaria and other tropical ailments. He said health personnel and volunteers have been recruited for the nation-wide exercise and appealed to the public to patronize the programme.