Health

NHS Brent, Brent Council and the Health Protection Agency have teamed up to roll out a borough-wide awareness campaign to highlight the worrying fact that measles is spreading in the borough.

Brent has the highest level of confirmed measles cases in the North West London. From January to September 2008 a total of 87 cases within the eight boroughs of the North West London sector were confirmed. Forty five of these children were from Brent.

Low levels of immunisation uptake over the last decade have led to a significant increase in the number of children who are not protected against measles. The more children that are not protected, the more rapidly measles will spread.

Dollis Hill, Harlesden, Kensal Green and Willesden Green had the highest number of cases for this totally preventable disease in Brent. A report on this year's measles cases also found that the Eastern European, Somali, and Afro Caribbean communities were worse affected.

About one in every 15 children with measles will develop more serious complications. These can include diarrhoea, pneumonia, fits, encephalitis (infection of the brain, and brain damage). In some cases measles can kill.

The safest way to protect children against measles is by getting two doses of the MMR vaccine, available at all GPs throughout the borough.

Dr Deepti Kumar, Consultant in communicable disease control from the North West London Health Protection Unit said: "Measles is a very serious infection as it can lead to pneumonia and encephalitis. It is not possible to tell who will be seriously affected by measles. This is why it's incredibly important to continue to remind parents about the benefits of having their child vaccinated with two doses of MMR for optimum protection. It is never too late to get vaccinated."

A series of posters, leaflets and adverts will be hitting the streets of Brent during this six week campaign which started on Monday November 3.

A football project designed to entertain bored youngsters in Wembley has been launched.

Sessions will take place every Wednesday from 5-7pm, at Vale Farm Sports Centre.

We have been preached at by our 'powers that be' about the distinct lack of dental services in our fair land.
Having been born in India to an English Dad and a Finnish Mum, I developed a penchant for all the sweet products available in that country and, obviously, acquired a bunch of rotten teeth.
In those far off days, dentists were thought of as some form of torture experts and I firmly believe mine had a hand cranked drill to perform excavations on my molars.
By the age of seven, I had so much metal in my mouth, I firmly believed that if I fell over, my head would automatically point north.
Some 56 years later, living in Wembley, two of my front teeth, wobbled and then fell out, which to me was like losing two members of my family.
I panicked.
Following the government warning, I feared there were no available NHS dentists in Brent so I rang a midnight programme on Radio Five Live to chat to their dental consultant.
He advised me to visit my local library, who would have a list of all dentists in my area with available space in their surgeries.
Certainly easier than my thought of traipsing the streets around my home, knocking on dentist's doors pleading to get admitted.
With list in hand the next morning, after only one call, I had secured my place a couple of days later for a visit to a very cheerful lass in my own street only one hundred houses away.
Some two weeks after that. I could again talk without whistling and chew my food properly.
My daughter has been complaining at me for weeks since, because I am smiling too much.
So, now you know, if you need a dentist, visit your local library!

A heart charity is looking for volunteers to help with collecting donations in the Harrow area.