Polokwane residents confident Measles vaccination will stop spread of the disease

Some parents at Polokwane in Limpopo say they are confident that Measles vaccination will stop the spread of the viral disease.

The province has recorded 26 cases this month alone. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has confirmed 58 cases since September.

The cases were first detected at health facilities in the Fetakgomo-Tubatse area in the Sekhukhune district.

The Mopani, Vhembe, Capricorn, and Waterberg districts have since reported Measles cases.

Limpopo recorded 26 positive cases of measles in November:

Parents who vaccinated their children at a Rethabile clinic in Polokwane are encouraging others to immunise their children.

“I think it is very important to bring the kids for vaccine or vaccination of these diseases and the nurses explained to us that if you don’t vaccinate your child, the child might get pneumonia and it is dangerous for the kids. Number one priority for the mothers is to take their children to the clinic so that their children can be healthy when they grow up.”

Limpopo Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba says the rise in cases is concerning.

“Measles cases are at 58, at which majority 26, can be accounted for Sekhukhune followed by Mopani at 24 and followed by Waterberg and Capricorn at three each and Vhembe district they are still at two. I think when we further interrogate those numbers we are still concerned because only nine out of the entire 58 have been vaccinated.”