THE MEC FOR HEALTH, NORTH WEST, DR MOLEFI SEFULARO, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE MEASLES AND POLIO CAMPAIGN

Mafikeng, 29 May 2000

Chairperson,
Senior Managers of the Department of Health,
Members of the Royal House,
Community Leaders,
Distinguished guests

It is indeed an honour for me to have been invited to launch the Measles and Immunisation Campaign.

It is significant that the campaign is launched at the height of the Child Protection Week. In many ways, the Child Protection Week is a vivid reminder of the plight of South Africa's children, and the huge challenges and responsibilities that we shoulder as we try to create a better world for our children.

The primary objective of the measles and polio campaign is to protect our children from the scourge of disease. The new democratic government views the health of a child as fundamental to the future development of our society. Indeed, the strength of any health system is ultimately reflected in the health status of its children.

The defining feature of our government's health policy is affordable and accessible primary health care. Consistent with this understanding, free health care was introduced in 1994 for children under six years and for pregnant women. You will also recall that in 1996, access to primary health care services was improved by making services free. This is because the government recognises that the full meaning of freedom will only be realised once all our people are freed from the legacy of deprivation and disease. This is the policy principle that continues to underpin our approach to health service delivery.

The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) is the most cost-effective way of controlling the seven preventable diseases that are common in children, namely, measles, polio, childhood tuberculosis, tetanus, pertusis, hepatitis B and diphtheria. Prior to 1994, most clinics had special immunisation days, a practice which resulted in a lot of missed opportunities. All primary health care facilities now immunise children on all days, thus increasing the accessibility of this service to a larger number of children.

South Africa has committed itself to the goal of measles elimination by the year 2002. Strategies designed to achieve this goal include the following:

• High percentage (90%) of children immunised with the measles vaccine
• Mass immunisation campaigns and mopping up activities in low coverage and high-risk areas.
• Confirmation of all suspected measles cases with laboratory support.

Many of you will recall that the first measles campaign in South Africa was conducted in 1996. That campaign was very effective in reducing the number of measles cases and related deaths in our country.

Today, four years later, we are once again calling on our people from all corners of our land to participate in a follow up campaign. Our goal is to immunise a large number of children within a short space of time in order to interrupt the circulation of the measles virus. A minimum of 90% coverage is needed to effectively interrupt the virus during this campaign. The need to attain a 90% coverage poses a major challenge to all health workers and those who have a stake in ensuring effective primary health care services. Community participation and political will are clearly critical to the success of a campaign of this nature.

Special strategies, which will be crucial for the success of the campaign, include:

• Involvement of local leaders in planning, social mobilisation and implementation of the campaign in their communities
• Identification of any cultural, educational, logistical, political or religious barriers which prevent certain communities from taking their children for immunisation and deal with them in a traditionally acceptable way.
• House to house visits to seek out eligible children and motivating them for immunisation. The rest of the world has also committed itself to polio eradication. The above strategies are as effective for polio eradication as they are for measles eradication. Already three polio campaigns were conducted from 1995 to 1997. Currently, the department is involved in a process of identifying high risk areas such as overcrowded areas, areas of high movement or migration, remote areas that are hard to reach with routine immunisation services and areas of low immunisation coverage. Follow up mini-campaigns will be conducted from time to time in these areas.

The polio and measles campaigns will run concurrently in four selected districts. These districts are Odi, Moretele, Ganyesa and Wolmaranstad. The polio campaign will be conducted in two rounds. The first round will take place at the same time as the measles campaign - that is 29 May to 2 June 2000. The second round will be conducted during the week of 17 - 21 July 2000. Children to be immunised against measles in the campaign are those aged between 9 months and 4 years. The polio campaign targets children from birth to 4 years.

My plea to all our people is that all eligible children, irrespective of whether they were previously immunised or not, should be immunised. I call our community to participate in this mass mobilisation campaign. An investment in the health of our children is an investment in the future of our nation. This recognition is reflected clearly in the health policies and delivery programmes of this democratic government. Only our most desperate detractors will deny that this government has done more for the health and welfare of our children in its six years of existence than the successive racist regimes of the last three centuries.

However, the task is far from complete. But we remain confident that our delivery record confirms that we are a nation at work to create a better life for our children.

I thank you

Issued by the Office of the MEC for Health, North West, 29 May 2000