The Ministry of Health in Botha-Bothe is targeting approximately 39,363 children during a two-week measles and rubella (MR) vaccination campaign scheduled to run until October 23, 2026.
Botha-Bothe District Public Health Nurse, Mrs Mabusane Ratikoane, said the figure represents children enrolled in registered schools, adding that the number could increase as the campaign also targets children who are not attending school.
She explained that the campaign aims to provide measles and rubella vaccines and Vitamin A supplementation to children aged between nine months and 15 years. Meanwhile, approximately 23,208 children aged between six and 12 years are expected to receive Albendazole tablets for deworming.
“This is the approximate number of children we wish to reach with the vaccine and Vitamin A. As for the number of children who will be reached with the administration of Albendazole tablets, who are between the ages of six and 12 years, it is approximately 23,208,” she said.
Ratikoane said the campaign had been progressing well since vaccination began on Monday, although some parents still did not understand the importance of vaccination in response to the measles outbreak.
She explained that the teams had started late on the first day due to transport challenges, but operations improved on Tuesday as health workers were able to begin their activities earlier.
“Even though we started late yesterday because of transport challenges, today was different as teams started earlier, and we still believe transport will not be a challenge,” she said.
During a visit to one of the schools where the campaign was underway on Tuesday, teachers expressed concern that many children had not brought their hospital booklets. They said this made it difficult to establish whether parents had given consent for their children to be vaccinated.
The teachers indicated that further follow-ups would be conducted to determine whether there had been any miscommunication between the school and parents and to ensure that all eligible children could be reached and protected against measles and rubella.
Meanwhile, children at the school expressed excitement about receiving health services, including Vitamin A supplementation and Albendazole tablets.
The atmosphere in the classrooms was lively as learners received the tablets, chewed and swallowed them, with some eagerly opening their mouths to show nurses that they had taken their medication.
However, the mood changed when it was time for vaccination. Some children who feared needles burst into tears, prompting nurses to comfort and reassure them that the injection would cause only minimal pain.
Others appeared confident and told the nurses that they were not afraid of needles and would not cry. Some even recounted previous visits to health facilities where they had received injections without shedding tears.
Following vaccination, the nurses kept the children in their classrooms for observation to monitor their reactions before allowing them to return to their normal school activities.
The campaign is expected to continue until October 23, 2026, as the district continues to respond to the measles outbreak reported last week.
According to the information provided by the district, none of the affected children has experienced serious complications or died from the disease.
The measles and rubella vaccination campaign aims to protect children against these infectious diseases and reduce the risk of severe complications. Vitamin A supplementation is also being provided as part of the campaign, while Albendazole tablets are being administered to eligible children to treat intestinal worm infections.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Government of Lesotho.
