The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) in collaboration with UNICEF, WHO, Canadian Red Cross Society, Universal Logistics Company (ULC) and the Church of Later Day Saints will observe a week-long Child Survival Campaign next week.

The campaign according to sources, would benefit some 900,000(nine hundred thousand) children countrywide.

The beneficiaries, sources further indicate, will be provided with free measles vaccination and would also be supplied with mosquito nets among others.

The primary objectives of the campaign according to MoHS sources, is to among other issues, reduce morbidity and child mortality in children and to achieve at least 75% in measles vaccination and vitamin ‘A’ administration and 90% in Mebendazole treatment. The campaign would also increase ITNs distribution coverage to 80% in children of 0-59 months old.

According to the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Mrs. Abator Thomas, the campaign would increase community awareness in the utilization of ITNs and measles vaccination and would also strengthen the Integrated Disease Surveillance in the country as well as addressing the problems of measles and malaria in the country.

The Minister also assured that her ministry and other partners will also provide mebendazole for de-worming for about 720,000 children countrywide.

Malnutrition, she said is an important underlying case of childhood mortality and it accounts for 29% of the under-five mortality and that nearly one third of children under five years old are under-weighed and about 45% have stunted growth, adding that over 40% of the children under five suffer from vitamin ‘A’ deficiency.

According to the Minister, integrated approach on measles and malaria is crucial to the MCH/EPI division and the National Malaria Programme.