Melaka Health Dept offering booster shots against measles

MELAKA - The Melaka Health Department will be administering measles vaccine booster shots after the disease recorded a surge in the state last year.

Its director Datuk Dr Rusdi Abd Rahman said the number of measles cases increased by 175 per cent to 22 last year from eight in 2021.

"For Melaka Tengah district, measles cases increased from four in 2021 to 15 in 2022," he said in a statement today.

The Melaka Tengah District Health Office will implement measles vaccine booster activities to increase group immunity and reduce the number of measles infections, especially among children and residents of high-risk areas.

Dr Rusdi said the selection of localities for the immunisation exercise would be based on a risk assessment by the District Health Office concerned.

He said in the initial stage, the exercise would be conducted in Melaka Tengah district in selected localities in the Bukit Rambai area, and would include census activities and dissemination of information on the need for booster shots.

"The administration of booster vaccines for infants and children aged nine months to seven years will be done house to house from 8am to 5pm daily, including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from March 1 to 8,” he said.

He said the immunisation exercise would also be conducted in Jasin and Alor Gajah districts based on risk assessments conducted from time to time.

"The Health Department advises residents and the local community to cooperate with the health team on duty to ensure smooth implementation of this programme," he said.

For further enquires, the public can contact the operations centre of Melaka Tengah District Health Office (0132077332/06284080), Jasin (065293908 ext. 206/135/0137698713) and Alor Gajah (063842533/ 063843012). - BERNAMA