Abstract:

AIM: This research is aimed at assessing the level of threat measles infection has on child development in northern region of Ghana and its impact on child health in recent times.

METHODS AND SAMPLING: A sample size of 20 health professionals, comprising 15 Public Health Nurses and 5 Family Physicians were used. A convenient and purposive sampling method was used to gather data through interviews and from primary information sources. Data was analysed using Microsoft excel and word processing.

RESULTS/FINDINGS: The results show that the threat of measles infection in northern region is significantly reduced, recording three confirmed cases in 2011. The diminishing trend was

acclaimed to be attributable to high level of cooperation from parents‘ willingness to send their

children out for vaccination and improved living standards of many Ghanaians, among others. These reasons notwithstanding, measles infection is still fluctuating from year to year.

CONCLUSION: Though the disease is fast diminishing, it still has a potential to escalate given that it shot from zero confirmed cases from 2010 to three confirmed cases in 2011. 

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