[Source: Health Ministry]

The Health Ministry is confident it will achieve its measles vaccination campaign target by the end of this week.

Health Minister, Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete made the statement after returning from his visits to the Western and Northern Divisions where the exercise is on-going.

Dr. Waqainabete says health officials have mapped out plans on which areas they will be visiting to administer vaccines.

“We have identified that the cohorts of the population are in the North and in the West. I was in the West on Monday and yesterday I was in the North talking to the Divisional Medical Officer West and Divisional Medical Officer North, and also talking to the Medical Superintend of Labasa and Lautoka hospital. They seem to know where the target groups are, they seem to know the geographical location and that’s where they sending our people out to do the vaccination”.

The Minister adds around 328,000 people have been immunized against measles to date, and is confident they’ll achieve their target of 95% before the new school year begins.

“But we are confident by this week we’ll be able to get the rest of that 20-30, 000 and therefore by next week we’ve completed all the vaccination that we need to do”.

The Ministry is advising Fijians that while the vaccination campaign will be rounded up soon, those in the target group who are yet to be immunized, can still get their shots at any Health Centre or Hospital around the country.