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22 October 2003 by Andreï Neacsu in Woliso Six year-old Munira Nuradi came by herself to the vaccination post. Her parents told her to go to “where she would see a Red Cross sign”. Unlike the other children, she is not afraid of the injection. She even dares to look at her arm being pierced by the thin sharp needle as a Red Cross volunteer encourages her with a caress to her face. Next in line is eight-year-old Tadele. He accepts the dose of vitamin A without difficulty, but when it comes to the injection he tries to run away in fear. A volunteer talks to him for a few minutes and Tadele finally gets his jab, his face contorted with a grimace of pain. Tears falling on his face he manages to stride away proudly in an attempt to look brave in front of his mocking friends. Munira and Tadele are among the some 70,000 children in Woliso, a town located some 160 km south west of Addis Ababa, who are receiving their life-long protective dose of measles vaccine during this immunization campaign, the first of its kind here. Nationwide, some 8 million children are being vaccinated this week in a campaign coordinated by the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation and UNICEF and supported by an number of other global partners in the battle to reduce measles mortality: the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the UN Foundation, the American Red Cross and the International Federation. Less than half of children in Ethiopia are immunized against preventable diseases and the Ethiopian Red Cross is determined to make a difference during this week. The hundred volunteers mobilized in Woliso alone for the occasion have already spread their net across the region. They spoke to every family and marked with chalk every house visited during a three-week long social mobilization campaign – during which they repeated incessantly the reasons why parents should bring their children to the vaccination posts. Dozens of children, alone or accompanied by elder brothers or sisters, fill the Red Cross compound. Red Cross branch secretary, Tirngo Ngdawork, administers a vitamin A supplement to a child attending the measles vaccination. Tirngo wears a T-shirt which carries the slogan of the Federation’s HIV/AIDS anti-stigma campaign. “Every opportunity is good to spread the truth about AIDS, so why not during a measles vaccination as well,” she says. An old tape recorder playing traditional Oromo music and, on the shoulders of many, the shawls embroidered in Ethiopia’s national colours – red, yellow and green – give the event a festive tone. But for Azib Tessama, one of the volunteers this obvious affluence is not sufficient. “We have to continue searching for those children or youngsters who are likely to miss the immunization”, she says breathlessly as she walks quickly towards the city’s church. It is Sunday and many of the poor and homeless might be there hoping for some charity at the end of the service. The blasting folk music played at the vaccination yard is replaced by a softer, almost heart breaking sound sang by two blind women, a mother and her daughter, Zena. They are homeless and travel the country from one village to the next surviving on whatever people may be willing to give. They hadn’t heard about the measles vaccination campaign and 14-year-old Zena is within the age target group to be immunized. It took Azib only few minutes to explain the importance of the vaccination as she walked hand in hand with them along the dusty road. At the Red Cross centre, her hair wrapped in a scarf displaying the American flag, Zena receives her injection and vitamin A supplement. Immunized against measles, she can now continue her journey towards the next city. Convincing people to get their children immunized should be a simple exercise. But often, volunteers and social workers face enormous obstacles in convincing parents that it is a responsible decision. Last year, a similar immunization campaigns was preceded by another, aimed at vaccinating the farmers’ cattle in the same region. “Some of the animals were obviously already ill when they received the injection. Several died shortly after. The population was quick to associate the death of the animals to the vaccination process,” explains Dr Tisanes Belay, head of the Ministry of Health’s family health department. “It was extremely difficult for health workers to explain the situation to confused parents who refused to bring their children to vaccination calls.” In other areas, people were more receptive to the measles injection. “Comprising a few drops administered orally, the polio vaccine does not convince all parents that it is a serious medical practice. So when volunteers tell them that for measles their children will get an injection, parents usually have a more favourable attitude,” says Dr Solomon Fisseha, programme co-coordinator of the Ethiopian Red Cross. Quite often, traditional healers – whose opinion is well respected in a country where the national health system covers less than 50 per cent of the population – spread unfounded rumours and incite people to ignore appeals for vaccination. This is not the case in Woliso, where “mama” Birke Bizab, a specialist in fixing broken bones, dealing with back pain and skin diseases, is proud to present to the Red Cross volunteer her freshly vaccinated two year-old grandson. “God gave me some knowledge and skill. But I can only cure, not prevent. So why not offer my grandson the protection provided by modern medicine.” says the 68 year-old traditional birth attendant. Mama Birke’s garden is full of children from the neighbourhood. “Wooooh, many bottoms I patted when I helped children coming to life,” she exclaims. Now she tells both children and parents to take the chance and respond to the appeal for vaccination. Her own house, marked by Red Cross volunteers with the abbreviation “KUKTA” (registered for measles vaccination) stands proof to anyone who may doubt her word. Related links: Activities in Ethiopia News story: Cape Town Declaration revitalises measles fight More in measles Federation appeal: measles and polio reduction in Africa Measles Initiative WHO on measles Make a donation |
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