Freetown Monday 6th November 2006: The Ministry of Health and Sanitation in collaboration with health sector partners, including the World Health Organisations, UNICEF, Sierra Leone and Canadian Red Cross Societies, The Church of Latter Day Saints, Universal Logistics Company will support a week long Integrated Child Survival Campaign. The Campaign will target about 900,000 children under-fives old.

The campaign will target 900,000 children with measles vaccination, free bednet distribution, vitamin A supplementation and deworming with Mebendazole.

The overall goal of the campaign is to reduce morbidity and mortality in children less than five years of age by achieving at least 95% coverage for Measles vaccination and Vitamin A administration. The target for Mebendazole treatment is to achieve 90% coverage. In addition, it also focuses on increasing Insecticide Treated Nets distribution coverage in children 0-59 months to at least 80% during the campaign. The campaign will increase community awareness in the utilizations of Insecticides Treated Nets and Measles vaccination and strengthen the Integrated Diseases Surveillance in the country.

While maintaining the strategic focus on addressing the problem of Measles and Malaria during the campaign, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and partners will also provide Mebendazole for de-worming about 720,000 children. Malnutrition is an important underlying cause of childhood mortality. Alone it accounts for 29% of the under five mortality. Nearly one third of children under five are underweight and almost 45% have stunted growth. Over 40% of children under five are Vitamin A deficient. The high rate of Vitamin A coverage throughout the campaign will result in a marked reduction in Vitamin A deficiency state in children.

According to the Hon. Minister of Health and Sanitation, Mrs. Abator Thomas, the integrated approach on Measles and Malaria is crucial to the Maternal Child Health (MCH) Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Division and National Malaria Control Programme, as both programmes share a common commitment in the reduction of child and maternal mortality and morbidity. “The overall common strategy is to harness our resources to scale up interventions on maternal and child health throughout the country and to increase immunization coverage which has stagnated in the last two years,” she declared. She appealed to the community representatives to ensure the proper use of the nets.

Sierra Leone recorded a 75% in immunization coverage during its push toward Universal Child immunization in 1990. the civil war and the accompanying destruction of the health infrastructure led to a massive drop in immunization coverage to less than 6% by 1995. However, much has been achieved in ensuring the revitalization of the health sector and extension of the immunization services to all parts of the country. There has been a drastic reduction in mortality and morbidity due to catch up Measles campaigns over the last couple of years. Currently immunization coverage for all antigens stands at 49%. Measles accounts for 66% coverage (August 2006).

Malaria is one of the most serious public health problems in Sierra Leone and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, with the most vulnerable being pregnant women and children. Malaria alone accounts for 48% of outpatient morbidity, 36.9% of which are children under five year. It also accounts for 50-60% of all under-five admissions, of which 15-20% die.

During the campaign, long Lasting Nets will be distributed to children 0-59 months brought forward to the campaign posts and 2 nets will be given per female headed household.

The Canadian Red Cross has provided 875,000 Long Lasting Insecticide Treated Bed Nets for the benefit of the children of Sierra Leone. During the official handing over ceremony of the bed net to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation from the Canadian Red Cross Society, the WHO Representative Dr. Felicitas Zawaira expressed her joy in seeing the warehouse full of nets and said that “Now, this is the time, for all of us, to join hands together and make the Campaign a success by reaching every child under five years of age.”

The campaign will utilize more than 5,000 vaccinators and volunteers provided by Ministry of Health and Sanitation Sierra Leone Red Cross and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Campaign will embark on a multiple strategy which will include static, outreach and mobile teams deployed in about 2,000 health delivery points, referral hospitals and peripheral health centers across the country. The involvement of the District Councils will ensure that no child is left out. UNICEF has provided more than 800,000 doses of Measles vaccines, 800,000 Vitamin A capsules (red and blue) and 705,000 of Mebendazole tablets for de-worming. WHO has provided technical support and funding for training, planning and coordination and the implementation of the campaign?

According to the UNICEF Representative, Geert Cappelaere, the campaign provides a package of cost effective interventions to improve child survival, growth and development, with the sole aim of reducing Sierra Leone’s unenviable position as the country with the highest maternal and child mortality rates.

“The country’s mortality rate for children Under-Five (284 per 1,000 live births) and mothers (1,800 per 100,000 live births) are still the highest in the world. This is no longer acceptable in a world that provides cost-effective interventions for easily preventable diseases”, Geert Cappelaere said.

The UNICEF Representative said the campaign is a forerunner to a comprehensive Child Survival Strategy that will be implemented with the Minister of Health and Sanitation and partners to make Sierra Leone a country fit for children and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 on maternal and child survival.