Sierra Leone News: ‘Disease Knows No Borders’- Dr. Alfredo Moosa

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Sierra Leone will join other countries in the world through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and other health partners in observing a maternal and child health week locally referred to as ‘Mami en Pikin Welbodi Week’ in all 149 chiefdoms of the country. Briefing members of the Fourth Estate on the importance of the week, the Deputy Programme Manager: Child Health Expanded Programme on Immunization in the country, Dr. Alfredo Moosa, said the goal and objective of the exercise is to increase the coverage for various life-saving interventions that impact on the welfare of women and children in order to reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity, at least by 95%. He continued that, more than 35 countries in Africa have worked together on this unprecedented event to highlight the need for routine vaccinations and to promote access to health services for infants and children. Dr. Moosa noted that the maternal and child health week is implemented twice a year (May and November) to all children under five years. This year’s event will kick off with the launching of the event in Port Loko on the 5th of December and will continue to the 8th of December, 2013. The child health specialist, told news men that immunization saves millions of lives and it is the most cost effective health interventions ever developed, and because of vaccines ,we can celebrate multiple public health achievements, around the world. Concluding he said, the Health Ministry’s focus this year is to improve the body, mind and spirit of the growing child. Furthermore, the Ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Abass Kamara explained that the interventions for this December will include Vitamin A supplement, De-worming with Albendazole, Defaulter Tracing for Routine Immunization, as well as Household Registration. He affirmed that the exercise will reach as many children as possible, country wide targeting 1.2 million children country-wide. The Programme Manager, Health Education in the Ministry, Lansana Conteh assured that the exercise will reach every part of the country not excluding hard-to-reach community in the rural areas. By Ade Campbell Monday December 02, 2013

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