98 Per Cent Target Set For Immunization Day

Accra, (Greater Accra) 8 Oct.,

This year's National Immunization Day was launched in Accra today with a call for support from both regional and district organisations to achieve its target coverage of 98 per cent. Nana Paddy Acheampong, Deputy Minister of Health, asked Regional Administrations and the District Assemblies to create awareness in all communities and organize logistics from both the private and public sectors to achieve the objectives of the day. The slogan for the campaign is ''Kick polio in Africa.'' This year's immunization days are November eight and December 13. Last year's coverage was 87.4 and 96 per cent for the two days. The NID is a joint programme organized by five West African countries including Ghana to mass immunize children below age five against polio, one of the six preventable diseases, among children. The programme, first organised in 1996, is also part of the global effort to eradicate polio by the year 2000 and on each day, immunization is organized at selected points to cover all children especially those in ''hard to reach areas''. Nana Acheampong regretted that communicable diseases still have a heavy toll in Africa where over 85 per cent of all deaths among children are attributed to preventable diseases, with survivors becoming handicapped. ''To protect our children against such debilitating diseases as polio, is to promote their state of health and allow them to realize their full potentials as citizens of this country,'' he said. He said though the Ministry of Health (MOH) has integrated immunization into its routine Maternal and Child Health services, about 60 per cent of children are in the worse served communities. NID's are, therefore, activities which promote social justice by reaching out and solving problems of the majority. He said though the MOH has a great responsibility of providing services to every citizen, it cannot discharge these services unless communities contribute towards their general health. He thanked all who have contributed to the programme including the WHO, UNICEF, USAID, JICA, the Rotary Club of Ghana, the First Lady and the 31st December Women's Movement.