The Department of State for Health and Social Welfare will on November 27 embark on a nationwide mass measles campaign targeting 246,150 children between the ages of nine months to five years.

According to reports from the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare, the Gambian leader President Dr Yahya Jammeh is expected to do the official launching at the July 22nd Square in Banjul.
As part of the campaign, there will be a Vitamin A supplementation and de-worming incorporated in the campaign.

Sulayman Samba, permanent secretary, Department of State for Health in his remarks described the media as a key partner in the campaign.  He called on stakeholders to join forces for the successful implementation of the campaign.

Speaking to reporters at a press briefing on the campaign yesterday, Mr Kebba Gibba, manager, Expanded Programme on Immunisation revealed that the campaign targets 246,150 children of Gambian and non-Gambian origin.  He described measles as a killer disease which has no cure.
Immunisation, according to Mr Gibba, is the only way to save children from measles.  He urged parents to take their children to immunisation centres for vaccination during the campaign period.
For his part Amadou Sowe, manager, Health Education Unit at the Department of State for Health said during the previous campaign, public schools were not problems for them to access but the private ones.
He appealed to the authorities in these private schools to give the vaccinating teams access to their schools in order to vaccinate those concern.

The ceremony was chaired by Yorro Bah, deputy head, Health Education Unit while Yamundow Lowe-Jallow, deputy EPI manager delivered the vote of thanks.