UNICEF funded immunization survey begins in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Thursday, 11 December 2003, 00:27 GMT]
The expanded programme of immunization survey is to be launched in the Jaffna district, after two decades, with the UNICEF funding Thursday. All children under school-going age would be brought under the survey to ensure whether they have been immunized properly during the war period and after, health ministry sources said.

The Health Ministry's epidemiological unit has sent a team of fifteen medical officials and about fifty nursing students from Colombo and provincial health ministry in Trincomalee to conduct this house to house survey with the ground staff selected in the district under cluster basis, health officials said.

All children under 1, 2, 3, 5 and school-going ages would be brought under scrutiny to ensure whether they have been immunized for diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, measles and rubella in the past, health department sources said.

The five-day survey would conclude on December 15. Earlier such survey was conducted in Trincomalee district and other districts of the northeast province. This is the first time such a survey has been undertaken in the Jaffna district after two decades and the after the ceasefire agreement, health sources said.