The Ministry of Health has officially launched the nationwide meningococcal vaccination campaign after the first administration of the vaccine to students and children today.
Speaking at the launch, Health Minister Rosy Akbar says they will be targeting more than 333,876 children aged 1 to 19 years.
Akbar says vaccination not only protects individuals from life threatening diseases but it also offers protection to the community at large.
Akbar says all immunizations used in the Fijian immunization program are safe and effective and World Health Organization prequalified.
She says vaccination has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective and cost‑effective public health interventions.
Akbar says there has been a lot of hard work happening behind the scenes to make the vaccines available for children and also for the nations’ protection from this deadly disease.
The Minister also urges all parents, guardians, children and friends to make good use of this opportunity because the cost of having to deal with a meningococcal infection is devastating and costly.
