The Sri Lankan government and agencies are spearheading the vaccination of thousands of children living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the north against measles.
The programme, expected to conclude on 6 August, will vaccinate more than 36,000 children under five among the 280,000 IDPs who fled the last phase of fighting between government forces and the defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
"The response and attendance by parents and children has been very encouraging," Desiree Jongsma, acting UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) country representative, told IRIN in Colombo. The campaign, which began on 3 August, is being run by the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), Sarvodaya (a local NGO) and other partners.
At least 100 public health workers and 1,200 volunteers were expected to participate at 30 centres in Vavuniya District where more than 200,000 of the IDPs remain, UNICEF said.
The children were also given a dose of vitamin A and de-worming tablets to raise resistance against other diseases and stem malnutrition.
The latest Health Cluster Situation update released on 27 July by the WHO said Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health had released new immunization guidelines in July recommending the measles vaccination.
"All the children between the age of six months and one year are given an additional dose of measles vaccine. Children between one to three years of age are given a dose of MR (measles) vaccine. All males and females between the age of 13 and 21 years who have not received the adult Td (Tetanus, Diphtheria) vaccine will be given a single dose of a Td (vaccine)," the WHO report stated. "High-risk groups in the IDP camps (such as food handlers, health workers and workers working closely with patients) are being given Vipolysaccharide typhoid vaccine."
"Child health remains a key priority for the Government of Sri Lanka. We are committed to ensuring that the IDP population is protected," Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Athula Kahandaliyanage, said at the programme's launch.
Curtailing outbreaks
No major disease outbreaks have been reported so far from the IDP centres despite concerns by UN and relief agencies of overcrowding.
The largest outbreak was chickenpox, with more than 12,000 cases registered by end-June, according to the UN.
But the trend reversed over July when disease prevalence rates dropped, WHO said.
"Disease surveillance activities in the camps continue to improve. The incidence of hepatitis, chickenpox, dysentery and watery diarrhoea has shown a declining trend. A few cases of measles and mumps were reported during the last few weeks but no new cases have been reported from IDP sites," the WHO update said.
UNICEF said IDPs were becoming increasingly aware of health concerns and safeguards.
"Health staff and volunteers are working around the clock to raise awareness among the IDP population, with mothers, fathers and children lining up at health and nutrition centres in the camps," Jongsma told IRIN.
Health officials, however, were looking out for malaria, dengue fever, Tuberculosis, as well as H1N1 2009 infections. The WHO said there was still a threat of waterborne diseases due to gaps in proper sanitation conditions at the camps.
"The Ministry of Health has been working on a contingency plan to address the coming monsoon season when there will be an increased risk of waterborne diseases. Community participation has been identified as being key to this plan, along with the need for assistance from the authorities," it said.
ap/ds/mw
The programme, expected to conclude on 6 August, will vaccinate more than 36,000 children under five among the 280,000 IDPs who fled the last phase of fighting between government forces and the defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
"The response and attendance by parents and children has been very encouraging," Desiree Jongsma, acting UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) country representative, told IRIN in Colombo. The campaign, which began on 3 August, is being run by the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO), Sarvodaya (a local NGO) and other partners.
At least 100 public health workers and 1,200 volunteers were expected to participate at 30 centres in Vavuniya District where more than 200,000 of the IDPs remain, UNICEF said.
The children were also given a dose of vitamin A and de-worming tablets to raise resistance against other diseases and stem malnutrition.
The latest Health Cluster Situation update released on 27 July by the WHO said Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health had released new immunization guidelines in July recommending the measles vaccination.
"All the children between the age of six months and one year are given an additional dose of measles vaccine. Children between one to three years of age are given a dose of MR (measles) vaccine. All males and females between the age of 13 and 21 years who have not received the adult Td (Tetanus, Diphtheria) vaccine will be given a single dose of a Td (vaccine)," the WHO report stated. "High-risk groups in the IDP camps (such as food handlers, health workers and workers working closely with patients) are being given Vipolysaccharide typhoid vaccine."
"Child health remains a key priority for the Government of Sri Lanka. We are committed to ensuring that the IDP population is protected," Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Athula Kahandaliyanage, said at the programme's launch.
Photo: UNICEF Sri Lanka  |
| Mothers responded well in having their children immunised |
No major disease outbreaks have been reported so far from the IDP centres despite concerns by UN and relief agencies of overcrowding.
The largest outbreak was chickenpox, with more than 12,000 cases registered by end-June, according to the UN.
But the trend reversed over July when disease prevalence rates dropped, WHO said.
"Disease surveillance activities in the camps continue to improve. The incidence of hepatitis, chickenpox, dysentery and watery diarrhoea has shown a declining trend. A few cases of measles and mumps were reported during the last few weeks but no new cases have been reported from IDP sites," the WHO update said.
UNICEF said IDPs were becoming increasingly aware of health concerns and safeguards.
"Health staff and volunteers are working around the clock to raise awareness among the IDP population, with mothers, fathers and children lining up at health and nutrition centres in the camps," Jongsma told IRIN.
Health officials, however, were looking out for malaria, dengue fever, Tuberculosis, as well as H1N1 2009 infections. The WHO said there was still a threat of waterborne diseases due to gaps in proper sanitation conditions at the camps.
"The Ministry of Health has been working on a contingency plan to address the coming monsoon season when there will be an increased risk of waterborne diseases. Community participation has been identified as being key to this plan, along with the need for assistance from the authorities," it said.
ap/ds/mw
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
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