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Measles: We have won a battle, we must win the war
By
Our Reporter - 25-07-2002 |
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There is comforting news on one of the diseases which for many years has been wreaking havoc in the country. Malawi is about to win the war against measles. And if all goes according to plan, the country should be rid of the disease by next year.
But that depends on the success of a campaign to vaccinate all children aged between nine months and 15 years—at least 1.5 million at some 5,900 designated centres in the country.
And that is where the first challenge is. There is need for nothing short of an information blitz on the need for parents and guardians to ensure all their children under 15 years get vaccinated against the disease.
The bigger challenge is that while we can congratulate ourselves for eliminating measles, we should not lose sight of the fact that we have just won a battle. We still have to win the war against the many other diseases responsible for the big number of preventable infant and maternal deaths in the country.
The success story on measles also shows that if we put our act together well, we can win many more battles. The good news should, therefore, serve to invigorate us to work even harder in the fight against diseases that plague under-fives and mothers.
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