The World Health Organization country representative in the Gambia Dr. Thomas Sukwa last Friday briefed journalists about the AH1N1 vaccination campaign schedule to commence from yesterday Monday 26-30 July 2010.
The nationwide vaccination campaign will be administered by health workers from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Dr. Sukwa stated that 10% of the population are expected to be vaccinated during the course of the exercise and the priority target groups to benefit from the exercise are health care workforce, pregnant women , diabetics, chronic diseases, and children under the aged of 10 to 11years.
He noted that out of these beneficiaries, 170,000 people are expected to benefit from the exercise.
He said 206 vaccination teams will be dispatch across the country to conduct the exercise and the teams would move from village to village and health facilities, so as to cover the whole targeted population.
Dr. Sukwa assured the general public that the vaccine is safe and effective and has been pre-qualified by the WHO.
Commenting on the signs and symptoms of AH1N1, he said the incubation period from infection to illness is estimated between 1-7days. He noted that similar to symptoms of regular flu are fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, head-ache, chills and fatigue.
He said 163,000 vaccines will be administered to the beneficiaries
