At least 44 (forty four) Red Cross volunteers were, over the weekend, prepared for a measles immunization campaign which will reach out to communities in Central River Region.

Speaking earlier the Red Cross Supervisor Mr Pa Musa Kijera pointed out that this program campaign will cover children from 6 to 59 months, adding that during the campaign they will also be giving vitamin A and de-worming tablets to children. Mr Kijera implored the participants to make best use of the knowledge and skill and to live up to expectations.

For his part the Regional Health Officer CRR Mr Karamba F. Keita asserted that vitamin A deficiency is a problem in many children, noting that vitamin A helps to reduce damage to tissues and aids the body in resisting infection. Mr Keita further stated that children from 6 months to 11 months will be given 100,000 IU blue capsules, while children from 12 months to 59 months will be given 200,000 IU red capsules.

He further elucidated that worms are parasites that live in human intestines, stating that de-worming will lead to the improvement of child health and well being. Mr Keita revealed that targeting about 34,979 children in the CRR and that vaccination trams will be going round to immunize the children.

He further called on the people of CRR to cooperate with the volunteers during the campaign; he commended the Red Cross crew for their active participation during the training.