GHS FACTS
Thursday, November 29
GHSPR/18/0025
Ongoing…
▪Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes. The “yellow” in the name refers to the jaundice that affects some patients.
▪Symptoms of yellow fever include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue.
*Report such symptoms to a nearby health facility*
▪A small proportion of patients who contract the virus develop severe symptoms and approximately half of those die within 7 to 10 days.
▪The virus is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Central and South America.
Large epidemics of yellow fever occur when infected people introduce the virus into heavily populated areas with high mosquito density and where most people have little or no immunity, due to lack of vaccination. In these conditions, infected mosquitoes of the Aedes aegypti specie transmit the virus from person to person.
*The need for Yellow Fever Vaccination*
▪Yellow fever is prevented by an extremely effective vaccine, which is safe and affordable, or possibly free.
▪The vaccine provides effective immunity within 10 days for 80-100% of people vaccinated, and within 30 days for more than 99% of people vaccinated
People who are usually excluded from the vaccination include:
▪Infants aged less than 9 months
▪pregnant women – except during a yellow fever outbreak when the risk of infection is high;
▪people with severe allergies to egg protein
▪people with severe immunodeficiency due to symptomatic HIV/AIDS or other causes, or who have a thymus disorder
*Note:*
▪Target group for the ongoing Yellow Fever Vaccination is 10 years to 60 years*
After having the vaccine, up to one in every three people gets:
▪headache
▪muscle pain
▪mild fever
▪soreness at the injection site
▪General ill feeling
These side effects usually pass within two weeks.
*NB:*
▪Only selected 65 districts in 9 regions will benefit from the ongoing exercise. The remaining districts will benefit in 2019
▪Upper West Region has already been vaccinated. Hence the exemption
Go to the Nearest Vaccination Post or Health Center from November 28 to December 2 and get vaccinated
Get vaccinated; Be Protected against Yellow Fever
Reference :
www.who.int
By:
Douglas Adu-Fokuo
Public Relations Unit
Ghana Health Service
