International Immunisation Week was celebrated only recently.
Immunisations save hundreds of millions of lives every year across the world and are widely recognised as one of the world’s most successful public health interventions.
In Papua New Guinea (PNG), health centres continue to drive the message to communities on the importance of vaccinations to improve health and wellbeing.
Chief Executive Officer of the SHP Provincial Health Authority (SHP PHA), Dr Joseph Birisi said, “While the current focus is on new vaccines to protect against COVID-19, the need to ensure routine vaccinations are not missed, remains essential.’
Putting in practice this statement, the province conducted a two-week routine immunisation health patrol into remote communities in the five districts of SHP, Kagua-Erava, Ialibu-Pangia, Mendi, Nipa-Kutubu and Imbonggu.
They vaccinated close to a thousand children.
“During this global pandemic, many children missed out on being vaccinated, leaving them at risk of serious diseases like measles and polio. In addition, managing the misinformation around the topic of vaccination also adds to this threat. We don’t want preventable diseases getting out of control because we failed to immunise our children” said Dr Birisi.
“But we are grateful for partners like Oil Search Foundation (OSF) through the Accelerated Immunisation Health System Strengthening project (AIHSS), the World Health Organisation and UNICEF who support us to carry out our work.
Alphonse Sambai, the SHP PHA officer responsible for coordinating immunisation projects said, “it was pleasing to see community members bring their children to receive their routine immunisation during the health patrols conducted into remote communities. They welcomed us and made sure their children received their vaccinations.”
Photo courtesy: SHPPHA
