Oshana ready to tackle polio

HEALTH officials in the Oshana Region are ready for today’s launch of the National Polio Immunisation Campaign, with enough vehicles to reach all corners of the region.

Director of Health for the Northwest Health Directorate Dr Naftali Hamata, announced that Government would provide 31 vehicles while businesses and individuals had pledged about 70 vehicles. This was announced at yesterday’s launch of the 2006 National Polio Immunisation Campaign in Oshana Region, which took place at the Oshakati State Hospital.According to Dr Hamata there will be 429 immunisation points in the Region, with 127 teams consisting of 261 nurses, 86 volunteers and 13 supervisors deployed to administer polio drops to the public.Dr Hamata said that house-to-house visits would also be done to ensure that everyone was reached.He said, however, he was disappointed by reports that youth from informal settlements had said they would spit out the vaccination drops as they were afraid of the consequences.”Please this must not happen, because I want to tell you that Polio can cause you to be permanently disabled,” he said.Dr Hamata appealed to all to go to immunisation points from today to Friday and from July 18 to 20.A third round would be held for children under five from August 22 to 24.He thanked Government for vaccines, vehicles and funds, as well as Regional and Local governments, the WHO and Unicef, the private sector, NGOs, his own staff, other Ministries, trainee nurses, volunteers, traditional authorities and the media for supporting the campaign.Officiating at the event, Oshana Governor Klemens Kashuupulwa called upon everyone to render assistance for the success of the campaign.He urged team members to go house-to-house to ensure that all Namibians and foreigners were vaccinated.Oshana Director of Education Dute Shinyemba said that his Ministry was working to create awareness in schools about the importance of hygiene in preventing the spread of polio.This was announced at yesterday’s launch of the 2006 National Polio Immunisation Campaign in Oshana Region, which took place at the Oshakati State Hospital.According to Dr Hamata there will be 429 immunisation points in the Region, with 127 teams consisting of 261 nurses, 86 volunteers and 13 supervisors deployed to administer polio drops to the public.Dr Hamata said that house-to-house visits would also be done to ensure that everyone was reached.He said, however, he was disappointed by reports that youth from informal settlements had said they would spit out the vaccination drops as they were afraid of the consequences.”Please this must not happen, because I want to tell you that Polio can cause you to be permanently disabled,” he said.Dr Hamata appealed to all to go to immunisation points from today to Friday and from July 18 to 20.A third round would be held for children under five from August 22 to 24.He thanked Government for vaccines, vehicles and funds, as well as Regional and Local governments, the WHO and Unicef, the private sector, NGOs, his own staff, other Ministries, trainee nurses, volunteers, traditional authorities and the media for supporting the campaign.Officiating at the event, Oshana Governor Klemens Kashuupulwa called upon everyone to render assistance for the success of the campaign.He urged team members to go house-to-house to ensure that all Namibians and foreigners were vaccinated.Oshana Director of Education Dute Shinyemba said that his Ministry was working to create awareness in schools about the importance of hygiene in preventing the spread of polio.