Maputo: Mozambique health authorities are set to roll out a U.S$7 million dollar measles and rubella immunisation exercise in a few weeks.
The vaccination exercise is bankrolled by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United States among other government partners.
“This campaign will be phased in due to logistical issues especially in terms of human resources qualified to allow coverage of vitamin A vaccination and vitamin D supplementation and de-worming with mebendazole at the same time nationwide,” Health ministry spokesperson Lídia Chongo told journalists during a media briefing.
Chongo said the immunisation exercise against the two diseases described as a public health problem will be done in two stages between April 9 to 15 and May 21 to 25 May.
Measles is a leading cause of death in children.
Of the 114,900 global deaths related to measles in 2014, the WHO reported that most of the victims were under the age of 5.
Rubella is a contagious, generally mild viral infection that occurs most often in children and young adults. Rubella is the leading vaccine-preventable cause of birth defects.
