CHILD PROTECTION WEEK 31 MAY - 06 JUNE 1999

Issued by: Department of Health

Pretoria - The Department of Health is committed to the annual inter-sectoral events/activities of the Child Protection Week. The week is aimed at creating community awareness on the need to protect and care for children.

The Department continually strives to improve strategies on quality child health care. The progress made so far in improving care for children is as follows:

• The introduction of Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI). This is a new strategy adopted from the World Health Organisation to suit the South African situation. The strategy is designed to empower Primary Health Care practitioners, in managing childhood illnesses in a more systematic and integrated manner. IMCI is a cost-effective strategy, that does not require sophisticated technology equipment, nor expensive medications.

It address the main killer diseases:

• acute chest infections
  
• diarrhoeal diseases
  
• fevers
  
• malnutrition
  
• HIV/AIDS
  

South Africa is so far the only country that formally incorporates HIV/AIDS in the IMCI protocols. The National Department of!! Health is presently offering provincial support in IMCI training. So far six provinces have been introduced to the concept. Once fully implemented nation-wide, South Africa will experience lower mortality and morbidity rates due to childhood illnesses.

The introduction of the Hib vaccine in the Expanded Programme Immunisation will hopefully be launched in July 1999. The introduction of the Hib vaccine will protect children from diseases eg. Meningitis, pneumonia caused by Haemophilus Influenza. Hib vaccine will be given to children at 6, 10 and 14 weeks, the same dates due for Polio, DPT and Hepatitis.

The Immunisation schedule protects children against Tuberculosis, Poliomyelitis, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Tetanus and hepatitis B. Although South Africa is presently declared Polio-free, the recent polio outbreaks in some neighbouring countries poses a threat to our Polio-free status, especially in view of the increased immigration.

Parents are therefore urged to ensure that all children up to 5 years get all immunisation injections and drops. This breakthrough will protect children from diseases that has so far claimed lives of may children.

LET US ALL JOIN HANDS AND CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND NOT ABUSE THEM.

31 May 1999