Vaccination campaign kicks off targets 21 million kids
Mkinga District commissioner in Tanga Region, Mboni Mgaza, vaccinates baby Bakari Abdallah against measles-rubella during the launch of the campaign in Duga Maforoni Village on Saturday. PHOTO|BURHANI YAKUB
Dodoma. A massive campaign on measles-rubella vaccination has kicked off, targeting about 21 million children aged between nine months and 15 years countrywide.
Tanzania becomes the first country in Africa that uses a single dose containing two antigens, for measles and another for rubella, but the country did not vaccinate against rubella before.
Speaking at the launch of the national campaign on Saturday in Dodoma, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare ,Dr Neema Rusibamayila, said due to repeated outbreaks of measles in the country, and the threat of rubella, the campaign will cover all children whether they had been vaccinated before or not.
However, children will also be vaccinated twice against the two infections in their lifetime; first when one reaches nine months and the second dose will be administered when a child turns 18 months. Continue reading
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