The Ghana Health Service has targeted a total of 407,881 children from nine to 59 months old in the Volta Region for immunisation under the fifth nationwide Measles and Rubella campaign.

Dr Yaw Ofori Yeboah, Deputy Regional Director, Public Health, launching the campaign in Ho on Thursday said sustained education, vaccination, and the hard work of health staff had been instrumental in the success story of a zero measles and rubella incident recorded in the country for 15 years running.

He however said the fight was not yet over, lamenting that parents in Ho and Hohoe Municipalities in particular exhibited low interest in routine immunisation.

The Director said supplementary and routine immunisation was a major strategy towards erasing all traces of the diseases, and end its prevalence in the country, calling on all parents to support the campaign to safeguard their children.

“If we really love our children, if we really care about them, if we believe that they are the future, then we have to keep them safe from diseases… we have to get them immunised. We are counting on all of you to help change the situation”, he said.

Dr Yeboah said the exercise in the region would engage a total of 2175 health workers, including volunteers from the Ghana Red Cross Society, and the Coalition of NGOs in Health.

He noted that rare cases of adverse effects following immunisation were likely during the exercise, and must be immediately reported to nearest health centres.

Dr. Yeboah said proper monitoring by trained staff of the Health Service would be ensured towards the success of the campaign.

The campaign is on the theme “Measles and Rubella Kill, Vaccinate your Child Now for Good life”, and would cover all 25 districts in the region, including island communities and hard to reach areas from the October 17 to 21.

Vitamin A supplement would also be added to help guard infants and young children from diseases, and enhance their growth and survival.

Togbe Koku Ayim, Chief of Ziavi who chaired the launch, called on traditional leaders to take up the campaign, and suggested that it targeted parents as major stakeholders.

Mr Joseph Kwami Degley, Chairman of the District Directors of Health said a decline in the second dose of measles rubella had been noted in the region, and promised to ensure that all eligible children were covered.