Preventing measles, rubella with a vaccine
Come September this year, Ghana will introduce the first-ever combined vaccination against rubella and measles for children between the ages of nine months to 14 years throughout the country.
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Prior to the introduction of vaccines, measles and rubella were common childhood diseases.
For some years now, the country has organised regular mass measles campaigns to vaccinate children to prevent measles outbreaks.
This strategy has helped in reducing measles and deaths in the country, and for the past 10 years, no child has died from measles in this country.
Statistics from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) also indicate that the total number of children who get measles has also reduced drastically.
However,measles outbreaks continue to occur in some parts of the country, mostly in children under five years.
Available data also indicates that over 40 per cent of negative measles cases test positive for rubella
Measles
It is a dangerous disease caused by a small germ called the measles virus. When children get measles, it weakens or kills them. All children are at risk of getting the disease.
If measles is not well-treated,it can develop into complications such as diarrhoea, brain damage, pneumonia (lung infection), eye infections/blindness, ear infections/deafness and sores in the mouth.
Rubella
Rubella, also called German measles, is also caused by the rubella virus.
It is usually a non-threatening disease but can be very dangerous in pregnancy.
Rubella infection in early pregnancy may result in a miscarriage or the birth of an infant with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS).
CRS can cause blindness, deafness, mental retardation, heart defects and other conditions ranging from diabetes to autism (a disorder that affects the social, emotional and behavioural development of children).
The incubation period of the rubella virus is usually 14 days and begins at the moment of infection and lasts until the appearance of a rash.
Rubella is spread in two ways: Through direct contact that is from person-to-person when droplets containing the rubella virus is discharged from a patient’s mouth or nose through coughing or sneezing and is inhaled by another person.
It can also be transmitted during pregnancy. When a pregnant woman contracts the disease, the virus passes through the placenta into the circulatory system of the unborn child which causes deformity in the unborn child.
Vaccination
The National Manager for the Expanded Programme of Immunisation (EPI), Dr K.O. Antwi-Agyei, said measles and rubella could be prevented through immunisation.
The rubella vaccine is administered as part of a combination vaccine with measles (MR vaccine).
Measles-Rubella vaccination is given as an injection on the child’s left arm by a trained health worker.
Dr Antwi-Agyei said during the forthcoming campaign, a new needle and syringe would be used for every child and thereafter destroyed.
“The vaccine is safe and effective. The MR vaccine has been in use for more than 45 years, and more than 500 million doses have been given in more than 100 countries worldwide,” Dr Antwi-Agyei assured the public.
A health promotion officer with the Ghana Health Service, Mrs Eleanor Sey, said immunisation would take place in health centres and at a number of temporary immunisation posts set up in schools, markets, bus stations, churches and all communities in the country.
She appealed to parents and care givers to take all children aged nine months to 14 years, irrespective of their vaccination status) to the nearest immunisation post during the campaign to be immunised.
Mrs Sey pointed out that some children might react mildly to the vaccine and advised that children remained at the place of vaccination for at least 15 minutes after administration of the vaccine.
She stressed that anyone who had any severe allergies should not be vaccinated with the Measles-Rubella vaccine, as well as children with weakened immune system (AIDs patient or cancer patient) and those who were seriously sick.
Mrs Sey further said any child who experienced any reaction after the vaccination should report immediately to the nearest health facility.
The signs and symptoms of rubella
• Fever
• Headache
• Skin rash
• Runny nose
• Hearing problems
• Cough
• Swelling of the neck glands and the gland around the back of the ear
• Conjunctivitis (inflamed/red eyes)
The signs and symptoms of measles
• Fever
• Skin rash
• Runny nose
• Cough
• Conjunctivitis (inflamed/red eyes)
By Rosemary Ardayfio/Daily Graphic/Ghana
The writers email: [email protected]
