With the rollout of the country-wide mass Immunization Campaign for Meningococcal currently underway, the Health Ministry’s Family Health team is also conducting training session for the nurses in the northern division.
Health Ministry’s National Advisor for the Family Health Unit, Dr Torika Tamani says the sessions involve training for the mass vaccination, micro planning and the teams also map out the schools and communities they are going to visit during this campaign rollout.
Dr Tamani similar training sessions will be held for the nurses in the Western and Eastern divisions.
She also emphasize that the Men C vaccine is safe and effective; it has been licensed for use in countries like Canada, United Kingdom and Australia.
Dr Tamani reiterates the vaccination program will target meningococcal C because this is the type of bacteria that is causing this outbreak in Fiji.
She says the health workers will work to immunize the children and adolescents across Fiji, with the campaign initially focusing on the most at risk groups.
The Ministry says initial focus is for the Central Division and Ra Subdivisions in the west and then it will continue throughout the country until all children within the ages 1 to 19 years receive their vaccinations.
Meningococcal disease is a life-threatening disease, which usually causes meningitis and/or blood poisoning.
