THE substantial focus on covid-19 has created a declining trend for unvaccinated babies against other preventable diseases such as measles, polio and tuberculosis.
As a result, Health and Medical Services Minister Dr Culwick Togamana urged parents of babies due for vaccination against these diseases to visit their nearest clinic for vaccination.
“We have noted a worrying decline in vaccination coverage for these other diseases and should we have an outbreak of for instance measles, while responding to COVID-19, it would be truly more devastating for our country,” Togamana said on Wednesday.
“Therefore, we urgently seek your corporation in this regard,” he added.
On Covid-19, Minister Togamana repeated his earlier calls on people to get their vaccines as vaccination remains the most efficient way to protect people from getting sick and dying from the disease.
The Minister encouraged the unvaccinated eligible population of the country to complete their vaccination requirements including booster doses.
Booster doses are provided for people who have completed their second doses after 5 months.
The vaccination roll-out in Honiara continues with the setting up of two centers at Lawson Tama Stadium and the Solomon Ports car park while community and work place vaccination programmes are ongoing and can be arranged with health authorities.
