Jack (centre) chairs the meeting on the preparedness for SIA in Bintulu.
BINTULU: Health officers are urged to carry out massive exercise on the Supplementary Immunisation Activity (SIA) here and in Tatau to prevent the spread of measles.
Bintulu Health officer Dr Norliza Jusoh said the SIA had actually started on July 2 after a measles outbreak was reported here since April 13.
The SIA is a preventive measure which develops herd immunity against the spread of the disease.
“For the record Bintulu has the highest number of measles infection with 179 cases, of which 92 cases were tested positive for measles following lab tests on July 3,” she said during a briefing at the Resident’s office here yesterday.
A total of 171 cases were recorded in Bintulu itself and eight in Tatau District.
Dr Norliza said the SIA would be carried out for a month until July 31 as a preventive measure to curb the spread of the disease.
She said free door-to-door vaccination from 8am to 10pm on Mondays to Sundays would involve children aged six months to 15 years old. She said early detection and treatment was vital in preventing the spread of the disease.
Under the Children National Immunisation Programme, two doses o Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine shots are given to children aged nine months to 12 months.
The SIA programme here is divided into three areas, namely, Jepak (Week 1) , Sg Plan/ Kidurong (Week 2) and Bintulu (Week 3 and 4). Dr Norliza said from past experiences, the medical personnel from Bintulu Health Office had encountered difficulties approaching house owners at the residential areas.
Many of them did not allow the staff to enter their houses, but asked them to give their children the jabs at the gate under the scorching hot sun.
“For your information, this vaccine is very sensitive to light so it is recommended that it is given in a dim area, even if you don’t allow us to enter, it’s fine, but not at the gate,” Norliza said.
For house owners who might feel unsecured with the presence of the medical staff, she assured them that their personnel would wear the department’s uniform and official name tags.
A community leader from Jepak who was present at the meeting, Penghulu Drahman Kawi, has volunteered to join the teams if his service is required.
Bintulu Resident Jack Aman Luat, who chaired the meeting, said the people should not fear the personnel coming to their home for they are doing a very good job in containing the spread of the disease. He also urged the Health Office here to distribute pamphlets to every household in Bintulu to make the people more aware of the disease.
Those with symptoms of measles such as fever, rash, cough, flu or conjunctivitis are advised to seek medical attention at the nearest clinic or hospital.
For enquiries, contact the Bintulu Health Office at 086-315235.