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April 16, 2003

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"UNICEF Starts Polio Immunization Campaign in Afghanistan"

Associated Press (www.ap.org) (04/15/03)

A three-day polio immunization campaign in Afghanistan, sponsored by UNICEF, will focus on vaccinating about 6 million children under the age of five years.  The campaign will involve about 30,000 vaccinators and volunteers from the Ministry of Health; however, UNICEF spokesperson Edward Carwardine noted that a lack of a health care infrastructure in the country will make reaching the children difficult.  Afghanistan, one of 10 countries still plagued by the disease, reported 10 polio cases in 2002.

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