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Angola

Angola: Seven million children will be vaccinated against measles

Luanda, 01/20 - About seven million children from nine months to less than 15 years old will be vaccinated in April and May 2003 against measles countrywide.

According to a source from the Enlarged Vaccination Program (PAV), this campaign's objective is to reduce the number of measles cases by 75 percent.

Measles, a disease that can be prevented by vaccination, is responsible for the death of more than 7,000 children per year in Angola.

In each two to three years epidemic measles outbreaks occur due to the low vaccine coverage.

In this framework, the Ministry of Health (MINSA) decided to carry out this campaign, for the first time and simultaneously in all provinces.

The source added that, during the campaign vitamin "A" will be given to three million children from nine months to five years old.

According to the source, even if the child had already been vaccinated against measles or has been sick with malaria, cough, fever or any other disease, he/she should be vaccinated.

Vaccination will be done in three phases in the following pattern: in the first phase it will done in all nursery schools in urban areas, lasting five days, in the second, it will be in the fixed and advanced posts of the urban areas, lasting seven days.

In the last stage it will cover rural areas, by moving teams, during ten days.

For the success of this campaign, MINSA will count with the multi-sectoral participation of traditional authorities, churches, communication centres and national and foreign non governmental organisations. (Source: ANGOP)