Immunisation can save lives
2006-08-10
IMMUNISATION is safe, and saves lives, says Pierre Uys, Minister for Health in the Western Cape, during Immunisation Awareness Week.
“Before immunisation was introduced, millions of children became infected with vaccine preventable diseases. Many developed life-threatening complications and died.
“All vaccines are manufactured according to strict criteria and in this country, must first be evaluated by the Medical Control Council for safety and efficacy before use.
“Adverse effects following immunisation are very rare.
“Immunisation protects children against infectious diseases, curbs the spread of disease in the community, decreases the mortality in children and helps that education is not interrupted by absenteeism.”
Diseases that can be prevented by immunisation are polio, measles, hepatitis B, whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria, forms of tuberculosis and meningitis.
There is currently an outbreak of polio in Namibia.
The routine immunisation schedule starts at birth, with a BCG vaccine against tuberculosis and polio vaccine.
At age of six weeks vaccination for polio, DTP, Hib† and Hepatitis B is done in the upper right arm and drops by mouth.
The vaccination is repeated at 10 and 14 weeks.
Measles vaccine is administered at nine months, with follow-up of the polio, DTP and measles vaccine at 18 months and again at five years old, vaccination against polio and DT.
Information is available from clinics.
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