Published Date: 2010-05-01 00:05:19
Subject: PRO/EAFR> Measles - Africa (16): Zimbabwe
Archive Number: 20100501.207073

MEASLES - AFRICA (16): ZIMBABWE
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Date: Mon 26 Apr 2010
Source: Relief Web, The Zimbabwean Report (Zimbabwe) [edited]
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MUMA-84W3R8?OpenDocument


Buhera has seen 12 measles deaths in the past 2 weeks. A total of 6
children died in the Dekeya area under Chief Nyashanu. They were
understood to have been buried secretly by their parents, who belong
to the Johane Marange Apostolic Sect, which shuns modern health
treatment. The sect believes in using prayer and water to heal the
sick. In Makoni and Buhera, religious and cultural radicalism
continue militating against emergency health interventions meant to
combat the viral measles disease, whose symptoms include drowsiness,
coughing, loss of appetite, gradual elevation of temperature, body
rash on the inner cheek, high fever and recurrence rash.

Chief Chiduku in Makoni district recently accused the Measles Task
Teams in the district of corrupting their religious beliefs through
coerced vaccination of sect children. In an interview with The
Zimbabwean last week [week ending April 18 2010], the Manicaland
Medical Director, Dr Milton Chemhuru, said the situation was under
control. Chemhuru said: "We are on the verge of rolling an
indiscriminate vaccination campaign for all children between 6 months
and 14 months. The campaigns will be without exception. We want
parents to adhere to prescribed child immunisation schedules."

The country will embark on a national immunisation campaign in May
[2010] in order to control the disease, which has also become a
menace in most southern African countries. Chemhuru added that
parents, regardless of their religious or cultural beliefs should
uphold the children's right to good health by letting them
vaccinated. When The Zimbabwean visited the area last week, the
ministry of Health and Child Welfare had deployed more nursing staff
to disseminate information on good health in schools and communities
to prevent loss of life.

--
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[This report highlights the need for further community sensitization
on the benefits of vaccination in preventing measles and the need for
cases to seek medical care. Members of the apostolic should
particularly be targeted if behavioral change is to be realized for
them to embrace the immunization program and hence achieve the
targets for controlling the epidemic.

A map showing the administrative regions of Zimbabwe can be accessed at
http://www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/zimbabwe.pdf. The
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of Zimbabwe can be accessed at
http://healthmap.org/r/00aK. - Mod.JFW]

See Also

Measles - Africa (15): Mauritania 20100428.207022
Measles - Africa (14): Malawi 20100422.206898
Measles - Africa (13): South Africa 20100421.206879
Measles - Africa (12): Zimbabwe 20100416.206801
Measles - Zambia: (Lusaka) 20100414.206758
Measles - South Africa (13): (Western Cape) 20100411.206683
Measles - South Africa (12): (Western Cape) 20100401.206472
Measles - Zimbabwe (04): Bulawayo 20100323.206287


Additional background information on measles is available from the
general ProMED-mail list. The postings below can be found at
http://www.promedmail.org. - Mod.JFW


Measles - Spain: (MU) 20100429.1380
Measles - Africa (14): West, Central 20100424.1333
Measles - Philippines (04): (IB) 20100424.1325
Measles - Africa (13): Malawi 20100422.1302
Measles - Canada (03): (BC), USA (WA) alert 20100419.1275
Measles - Africa (09): Zimbabwe 20100419.1274
Measles - Africa (11): Zambia 20100413.1203
...................jfw/ejp/be

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