Southern Red Sea region: Inhabitants called upon to enhance participation in endeavors to attain measles-free nation

The Health Ministry’s branch in the Southern Red Sea region  called on the inhabitants to enhance participation in endeavors towards attaining measles-free nation. It made the call during a seminar conducted with community representatives and government agencies in the port city of Assab. Assab, 5 September 2012 – The Health Ministry’s branch in the Southern Red Sea region  called on the inhabitants to enhance participation in endeavors towards attaining measles-free nation. It made the call during a seminar conducted with community representatives and government agencies in the port city of Assab.

The seminar that addressed the issues of immunization as regards measles, community-led environmental hygiene and the role of men in combating mother and child mortality, further noted that children immunized against measles at the age of 9 months need to be again immunized when 18 months old.

Mr. Asefaw Gebremichael, head of the branch office, explained that ensuring sustained environmental hygiene is a reliable approach of avoiding measles as is for numerous communicable diseases, and called on the inhabitants to extend a helping hand to this end.
Pointing out that such seminars are vital in raising community awareness, Mr. Kibrom Nirayo, head of administration and finance in the Southern Red Sea regional Administration, called on the participants to play significant role in community sensitization activities in this regard.

The participants of the seminar said that they would step up participation in immunization campaigns targeting measles, and called on the Ministry to organize such seminars on regular basis.