Doha, January 14 (QNA) - The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) launched the annual national campaign to vaccinate 10th grade students in public and private schools and communities with a Tdap vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough), in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC). The campaign aims to vaccinate students from private schools and communities from Jan. 12-16 and public school students from Feb. 16-25. MOPH, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and PHCC, organized a training workshop on Tuesday to announce the launch of the vaccination campaign in the presence of about 155 nurses of public and private schools, communities, and schools affiliated to Qatar Petroleum (QP). The workshop included many of the campaigns scientific and training themes, goals, and ways to ensure its success in achieving the desired goals. Several scientific lectures were also given by the employees of the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI) in the Department of Health Protection and Transitional Diseases at MOPH on the scientific aspects of immunization services in general and the Tdap vaccine in particular, along with the definition of the role assigned to school nurses during the implementation of the campaign activities. Director of the Public Health Department at MOPH Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Thani said that there are no tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) diseases due to the high level of vaccination coverage, noting that the annual campaign aims in general to enhance students' immunity, as the World Health Organization recommends that the Tdap vaccine be taken every 10 years as a booster dose. He told reporters that the vaccinations give greater protection to students against the three diseases, and reduce the risk of infection, stressing that MOPH succeeded in setting up a system to deliver the vaccinations to the target groups effectively. Sheikh Dr. Al-Thani also revealed that infectious diseases in Qatar caused a small percentage of deaths, especially when compared to large countries in the world, thanks to the keenness of the concerned authorities to prevent diseases and provide appropriate vaccinations as well. Director of Health Protection and Transitional Diseases at MOPH Dr. Hamad Eid Al Rumaihi said that the campaign to vaccinate against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis targets more than 19,000 students in 139 government schools, after the success of the campaign over the past ten years. Dr. Al Rumaihi stressed in statements to reporters that Qatar is keen to provide the latest and best vaccinations, whether in terms of quality or safety. He added that the first campaign to vaccinate 10th grade students in 2011 witnessed a turnout of 50 percent of the total targeted students, while the percentage of those who got vaccination increased during the past years to reach about 80 percent in some schools, and that they are working to reach this percentage and higher in all schools in 2020. Director of School Health Program and Services Dr. Leila Dahnim said that a whole team of medical and nursing staff affiliated with the PHCC has been prepared to work on vaccinating government school students in coordination and cooperation with MOPH. She indicated that PHCC will vaccinate students in public schools only, as the campaign includes more than 10,000 students in 67 government schools, starting on Feb. 16. Head of the Immunization Department at MOPH Dr. Soha Al Bayat said that the percentage of those who got vaccinated against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis disease reached about 64 percent in private schools in 2019 and the rate is increasing this year. She emphasized that MOPH is keen to provide vaccinations that have several advantages, foremost of which is safety, that they are of high quality, and that they are approved by the World Health Organization. (QNA)