Ongoing efforts by the Gauteng Health Department to vaccinate a million children against measles has reached its “epicentre”.

The campaign, which kicked off on May 15 and runs until the end of this month, was launched to address a sudden measles outbreak in Johannesburg.

Measles is common in children under two years of age.

Rigorous efforts

Health MEC (Member of the Mayoral Committee) in the City of Johannesburg, Dr Mpho Phalatse recently visited Region E’s three clinics to check on the progress that had been made.

Phalatse said the current campaign was a once-off event and did not impact on any routine immunisation programmes, nor did participating children have to come back for more injections.

Health24 previously reported that the prevalence of measles in South Africa has declined in the past decade through rigorous efforts to vaccinate all children. 

      ^{A poster advertising the measles immunisation campaign currently running in Gauteng until the end of this month.}

“This is called a herd immunisation, meaning we want to vaccinate enough pupils to render protection to those who have not been immunised because communicable diseases like measles spread fast,” she said.

An intervention

Outstanding vaccination rates have been achieved in some provinces – namely the Western Cape and Gauteng.

The campaign is targeting children from six months old to the age of 15. One of the nurses who is familiar with the campaign and routine immunisation further clarified that the campaign is an intervention to address the current outbreak while routine immunisation was continuing as normal. 

Meanwhile parents were encouraged to sign and return the consent forms for the campaign to run effectively and ensure that their children receive the immunisation that will protect them from contracting measles.

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HIV positive teenagers in the Northern Cape have started defaulting on their treatment because of the difficulties they encounter as they regularly have to miss school in order to fetch their medication.

The situation has sparked calls for more community nurses in the province in order to lengthen clinic operating hours to offer young people the opportunity to get their treatment after school.

Missing school

“We cannot run away from the fact that children living with HIV will grow to be adults tomorrow, and that is why we need to coach and mentor them as well as educate them about positive prevention,” said Nametsegang Gaetsosiwe, a sector leader from People Living with HIV.

“We have noticed that as they grow up they start defaulting on their treatment,” Gaetsosiwe said.

A 16-year-old girl explained that she was struggling to continue with her treatment, as it involved her missing school on days she had to go and collect the medication.

“My teacher says I am always asking for permission to be absent , and I told her to go and ask my mother,” the girl said.

“This makes it hard for me to continue with taking treatment because I don’t like explaining myself that much.”

Defaulting has implications

Dikeledi Senatle of Denosa (Democratic Nursing Association of South Africa) in the Northern Cape said a multisectoral, holistic approach was needed to address the problem.

“As Denosa we are advocating for more posts to be made available for nurses so that our facilities can stay open till late. This will grant teenagers enough time to go and collect their treatment after school, and not during school hours. This will help us to keep a learner in class and at the same time help them to adhere to their treatment and ARV’s,” she said.

“Defaulting on HIV treatment has implications,” said family practitioner Doctor Chika Ifebuzor.

“Taking medication for life is not an easy task, especially if you are a child. But  breaking treatment also has its own adverse reactions,” he said.

Chika said when a patient stops treatment, the virus multiplies in the system and organs are affected. This could also lead to treatment resistance in the future.

Nthabiseng Andreas from the Department of Social Development said was important for parents raising children with HIV to register them at adherence clubs so that could learn to understand  the importance of taking life time medication and also receive the psychosocial support they need. – Health-e News.

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Hearing the words: “You have cancer” affects everyone differently. When David Scott was diagnosed with testicular cancer eight years ago and heard those words, he knew he was facing an enormous challenge. 

Life changes

“I know I’ve changed after surviving cancer – you’d be a fool not to. Although I have only beaten it for now, I’ve beaten it, and that’s all that matters. I was told if this was the 1960s, the cancer would have taken me out in six months – it’s an aggressive type that spreads quickly, but it’s also receptive to chemotherapy and survival rates are at more than 90%. 

“I read a story about surviving and getting through chemo. An army guy said to a testicular cancer survivor that he didn’t know it yet, but you’re lucky to have this. When you get over it, it changes you for good, for the better… As long as you survive it! 

“It’s like that for most survivors, certainly the more positive ones I’ve met during my remission – there’s this divide you cross and never come back over. But it’s okay – I wouldn’t go back over that line as you live better on this side of it. We share something quite unique. 

“I live a far healthier life – I eat and sleep well, and I took up running again. Now I’m a triathlete and I completed my first Ironman 70.3 earlier this year, my first marathon last year and the Two Oceans Ultra this year.

“I probably have a much stronger focus on health and fitness than most people, but stress is something to always keep a check on; it’s an unknown variable.” 

‘What I learnt from cancer’

“I never asked to do this journey, but a journey it became. And it didn’t finish after treatment either. When you have a shadowy ‘death date’, no matter what the prognosis, you still believe you could be the percentile that doesn’t make it. Or that your body does not respond to chemo. 

“From day one, project management came to the fore. You have to deal with so many different things at the same time – reading blood charts, medical terms, coping and recovery, your loved ones’ attitude (and they may need help too). 

“Carers’ lives are changed too and in the end this disease is bigger than the sum of its parts. The patient who goes through chemo isn’t the only one suffering. The people around that person have a lot of decisions and changes to make.

“You age wisely within the timeframe. 

“Being on the other side, life’s better, more visceral, more real. You take a different approach to nonsense and where and how you spend your time becomes crucial. 

“You also learn that you have to give back. It’s criminal to go through something like this and not give back to others and help them get better.” 

Giving back

“Get involved. By helping others and getting involved post chemo, I was able to deal with my emotions and anxieties that can take years to get over. People don’t understand that cancer is as much a physical illness as it is a mental one later when you’re in remission. 

“Unfortunately cancer wasn’t done with me yet. My late father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few years ago. He died within 18 months. But he fought bravely. 

“I believe I was the best person in my family to help him go through it, even though he (we) knew treatment was palliative until the inevitable. 

“You always hope and must have it. Cancer can be beaten and often is, but cancer also wins. Lives are forever changed, whether it’s a triumph or loss.” 

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Amid the Western Cape water crisis – the region was declared a disaster area last Monday – the province’s health and fitness club groups are trying to do their bit, something which hasn’t met with an entirely favourable response.

Late last week, Virgin Active announced they would be shutting their steam rooms and saunas in the Western Cape.

Many members unhappy

In the message to members, they said that this would save an estimated 650 000 litres of water per month.

Coupled with that announcement, the health and fitness group also said they were going to stop filling their swimming pools. Should the water level drop to a level where pools can no longer be safely used, they will shut them down as well.

But many members are not happy. 

The company’s Facebook page and Twitter account have seen a number of messages asking for alternatives.

One of the main questions is whether a downgrade in facilities will see membership fees discounted accordingly, but replies from the company on social media indicate this is unlikely.

Other gyms follow suit

According to Virgin’s head of Changing Business for Good, Wesley Noble, the situation “has really focused our minds and we calculate we’ve saved as much as 10.5 million litres in the region, which is the equivalent of seven extra glasses of drinking water for every resident in the Western Cape”.

Virgin Active isn’t the only gym implementing water saving measures at their facilities.

Santie De Kock, Zone Fitness’ National Marketing Manager, said they too have been driving for members to save water while at their respective clubs.

“We’ve reminded our members that we need to save water, and all bathrooms have notices in them.

“With level four restrictions implemented, we’ll be driving more awareness campaigns and include some general information on how our members can save water at home as well.

Showers won’t be shut down

“Our facilities do not have swimming pools and our initial evaluation of saunas and steam rooms did not indicate a high use of water at all, but we have since identified the cleaning of the facility might.

“We are now considering alternative cleaning methods, but if none are suitable, we will consider closing the two steam rooms and three saunas we have in total as well.”

A while back, Virgin Active started their water saving initiative and replaced their shower heads with eco-showerheads which use about 30% less water, but the company won’t shut down showers altogether. 

Company spokesperson, Les Aupiais, said: “We cannot foresee shutting down showers altogether without severely impacting on health and hygiene standards and our members’ experience.

“Because the showers are fitted with low-flow eco-showerheads, we believe the drop in litres used, is a reasonable compromise. Most areas where we have saved water have not impacted on our members’ experience.”

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