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Mass Immunization Campaign Monday: Women, Children Targeted

The NEWS (Monrovia)

June 20, 2003
Posted to the web June 20, 2003

Monrovia

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other partners, will on Monday, launch a mass immunization campaign in Monrovia and its environs, in a bid to protect children and women against measles and tetanus.

About 200,000 women of child-bearing age and over 128,000 children under five years are expected to be vaccinated during the exercise.

A UNICEF release issued Thursday said the vaccination campaign is in response to the humanitarian crisis created by the recent fighting in Monrovia. Thousands of persons, including IDPs were forced to flee and seek shelter in congested centers with poor health and sanitation facilities.

During the campaign, which is expected to cover IDP centers and host communities in various parts of Monrovia, children between six years and 59 months will be vaccinated against measles, while women of child bearing will be vaccinated against tetanus.

Doses of Vitamin "A" will also be given to children to protect them against the high rate of malnutrition now prevalent among children in Liberia due to the prolonged civil war.

The immunization will be conducted in three separate rounds over a two-month period from 23 June to 11 September.

A total of 33 teams comprising vaccinators, recorders among others will take part in the campaign which is to be conducted at 25 different sites.