The Higher East Regional Director of the Ghana Well being Service (GHS), Dr Winfred Ofosu has said that an efficient surveillance system is being put in place within the Area to assist detect suspected instances of the Coronavirus in any other case often known as COVID-19.
Because of the many entry factors that exist within the Area, he famous that it was crucial to make sure that all of the entry factors are put below a really strict surveillance system.
The Higher East Area which is positioned within the north-eastern nook of the nation is bordered to the north by Burkina Faso, the east by the Republic of Togo, the west by Sissala within the Higher West Area and the south by West Mamprusi within the North East Area. The overall land space is about 8,842 sq. kilometers.
Dr. Ofosu was talking at a media briefing at Bolgatanga to announce plans and methods of the GHS to vaccinate youngsters to guard them from the Sort 2 Polio Virus.
The area will vaccinate youngsters between the ages of 1 yr 9 months and 4 years with Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) from Wednesday, February, 19 to Tuesday, February 25, 2020.
He additional defined that contemplating the debilitating results of the COVID-19, it was necessary for him to speak in regards to the illness to allay the fears of the general public significantly residents of the Area.
The director additionally pressured that every one the well being services within the Area have been positioned on excessive alert to establish individuals suspected to have been contaminated with the illness.
Vaccination
A complete of ninety-six thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine youngsters within the Higher East Area are to be vaccinated to guard them in opposition to the Sort 2 Polio Virus. It’s estimated that over two million youngsters in Ghana haven’t been protected in opposition to the Sort two Polio Virus therefore they’re weak to an infection.
Rationale
Dr. Ofosu indicated that the rationale for the choice of that exact age group was as a result of when Ghana switched from Trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (tOPV) to Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV) in April 2016, the IPV ought to have been launched instantly after the change in 2016.
He, nevertheless, famous that on account of a world scarcity of the IPV vaccines, it was launched virtually two years later in June 2018. Subsequently he stated youngsters who had been born between April 2016 when the change came about and June 2018, when the IPV was launched had no safety in opposition to the Sort two Polio Virus.
The director intimated {that a} complete of 142 groups made up of well being staff and volunteers shall be at outreach factors, colleges, markets, and different vantage factors to offer the polio vaccination.
“All eligible children will be given 0.5mls Inactivated Polio Vaccine by intramuscular injection on the right deltoid (shoulder); caregivers with eligible children are hereby entreated to make sure their children are vaccinated within the stipulated period. ”Dr. Ofosu additional pressured.
He stated the IPV has been a part of “our routine vaccination program for greater than a yr now and is often given to youngsters at 14 weeks of age”.
He assured caregivers and most of the people that “all our vaccines are safe and has over the years reduced vaccine-preventable diseases and deaths in the Upper East Region and the country as a whole”.
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