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Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health announces the launch of the annual vaccination campaign against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (Tdap), starting from January 15 in private schools and January 28 in the government schools, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Primary Health Care Corporation. This year, the campaign aims to vaccinate grade 10 high school students in independent, private, and public schools in the State of Qatar.
Dr. Hamad Al-Rumaihi, Director of Health Protection and Communicable Diseases Control Department at the Ministry of Public Health, said: The implementation of the vaccination campaign against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (Tdap) annually aims to enhance the immunity of male and female students, against these three diseases. The World Health Organization recommends that the vaccination against the three diseases should be taken every 10 years as a booster dose. He clarified that this comes within the framework of the periodic vaccination for adolescents and within the National immunization schedule in the State of Qatar.
He added that the State of Qatar does not suffer from the spread of tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough, which is attributed to the high vaccination coverage; However, emphasized that attention should be paid to the seriousness of the three diseases targeted by the vaccine, which may cause serious complications including death or total disability to the person infected with any of them.
Dr. Al-Rumaihi confirmed that the vaccine is not new, and it is part of the childhood vaccination program, part of adolescent routine vaccination and it is a pre-entry requirement for most colleges both locally and internationally.
He further encouraged parents and guardians of the students to have their children take the vaccine, as it has a significant impact on enhancing their health and protecting them from diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough.
