Accra Nov 5 GNA - Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Mayor of Accra, on Friday urged parents to send their children for the measles immunization to prevent them from contracting the disease.

Dr Vanderpuije made the call when he visited some immunization centres in the metropolis to check on the progress of the exercise. He said for the past eight years Ghana had recorded no deaths from the disease and added that the record must be maintained. He said the objective of the programme was to meet the Millennium Development Goals in the area of health so that by 2015 the goals would be accomplished.

Dr Vanderpuije asked parents to immediately report any measles case to the health centres for prompt treatment instead of trying to treat the cases at home.

The health centers visited included La General Hospital, Osu Maternity Home, Adabraka, Kanashie, Mamaprobi, Ussher Polyclinics and the Makola Clinic. Dr John B.K. Yabani, Metro Director of Health Services said awareness on the immunization exercise was created by sending messages out to various homes, communities and market places to meet the set target.

He indicated that health institutions would be opened to all those who could not taken part in the ongoingprogramme and urged parents to take advantage of the exercise.