Health authorities in South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State have launched a Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Vaccination campaign in the state.
The campaign, designed to vaccinate women and girls of reproductive age between 15-49 years in the state, was launched on Tuesday.
Aleu Pioth Akot, the director-general at the state ministry of health, told Radio Tamazuj on Friday that the campaign would conclude after seven days.
“We are carrying out a Tetanus vaccination campaign, we are targeting women and girls between 15-49 years old in Aweil East, Aweil South and Aweil West,” said Aleu Pioth. “We have deployed our teams and the work started on Tuesday and will conclude by Monday next week.”
Ring Yak, Aweil East County Health director, said: “The Tetanus campaign is moving well and there is a huge turnout, it targets girls and women between 15-49 years.”
Nyanut Bol Anguei, a young woman who took the tetanus vaccine at Aweil Civil Hospital, said: “I have come here to take my jab because this is good medicine; it helps people and keeps people healthy. The vaccine protects if a sharp material such as a nail or knife hurt you. I was also injected in the past two years; my vaccination card is at my home now.”
According to UNICEF, tetanus is an excruciating disease that kills one newborn every nine minutes, or approximately 160 babies each day. Typically contracted through unhygienic childbirth practices, the disease is swift, cruel and lethal.
But it is also highly preventable. An affordable vaccine given to women of childbearing age can stop tetanus.