Some Volta Region communities refuse immunisation-Kanda

Ho, (Volta Region) 30 Nov. '98, Dr. Godwin Kanda, senior Medical Officer responsible for public health in the Volta region, has regretted that some communities refused poliomyelitis immunisation on religious grounds during the November seven exercise.

Dr. Kanda, who made this known at a review meeting in Ho at the weekend to discuss problems encountered during the first round of the programme, however praised mothers from Lolito and Xikpo in the South Tongu district for ''co-operating this time''. Education and negotiations are still going on at Kpale, Tsito, Batongo and Biakpa in the Ho district and Dzoku in the Jasikan district to win the co-operation of the people during the second phase of the programme which falls on December 19. The Volta Region, however, immunised a total of 327,458 children between the ages of 0-5 years during the first phase of the exercise on November seven, exceeding its target by 11,013. The programme was jointly financed by the Ministry of Health, the district assembly, non-governmental organisations and donor agencies at a total cost of 119 million cedis.