The
Ministry of Health is seeking help from UNICEF and the WHO in assessing the
gaps in its measles vaccination program following a spate of cases that has
cropped up this year despite the country being declared “measles free” by the
WHO in 2015.
Officials
from the three bodies met on Monday to examine vaccination coverage in the
communities where the cases emerged and to provide targeted immunisation
programs there, according to UNICEF and an announcement from the Phnom Penh
Department of Health.
“It’s absolutely
vital to ensure high vaccination coverage rates, even in a country where
measles has been eliminated,” said UNICEF spokeswoman Iman Morooka, who
confirmed the body would be assisting the new vaccination efforts.
The WHO
didn’t respond to requests for comment, and Cambodian health officials couldn’t
be reached yesterday.
In 2014,
measles immunisation coverage stood at 78.6 per cent, according to the
Cambodian Demographic Health Survey. Despite the “measles free” designation,
five cases have been identified so far this year.
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