More than five million Iraqi children were vaccinated against polio over the last five days, during the second round of the latest polio eradication campaign in Iraq, which ended today. More than 750 Iraq Red Crescent Society (IRCS) volunteers participated in the latest drive, going door to door to make sure that all children under 5 years of age had received the two "magic drops" of oral vaccine against polio. Iraqi children are vaccinated against six childhood vaccine preventable diseases every year. IRCS volunteers provide essential support, since they monitor the effectiveness of the campaigns.

The polio eradication drive is "a combined effort organised across the country, in partnership with the Iraqi Ministry of Health, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Red Crescent," said Sten Swedlund, the Federation's Head of Delegation in Iraq. "We provide support to the IRCS in its efforts to register children and make sure they are immunised in high risk areas."

The campaign is the last one this year in Iraq. Four drives are organised each year, at the beginning of spring and autumn, in order to achieve the international goal of eradicating polio before the end of 2005. Efforts to eradicate the preventable disease were intensified in 2000 after 77 poliomyelitis cases were reported in 1999. No new cases have been reported in the last two years and the country is expected to reach the goal of complete eradication of polio in 2004.

"We hand out leaflets explaining what polio is and how to avoid being infected by the virus," explained a volunteer. The Red Crescent also produces short publicity spots, which are shown on television a week before the campaign starts and during the campaign itself, to raise public awareness.

For this round, UNICEF contributed some 44,700 Swiss francs (USD 30,000) via the International Federation, to cover the expenditure of IRCS volunteers.

The Iraqi Red Crescent is also actively involved in monitoring measles immunisation campaigns.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

In Baghdad: Sébastien Carliez Tel: + 964 1 537 00 42 / 964 1 537 2518
In Amman: Saleh Dabbakeh Tel: + 9626 568 1060 Ext. 13 / Mobile: 962 795 851 122
In Geneva: Marie-Françoise Borel Tel: + 41 22 730 4346 / + 41 79 217 3345

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 178 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.



Top

With the exception of public UN sources, reproduction or redistribution of the above text, in whole, part or in any form, requires the prior consent of the original source.

Related Documents:
Latest Emergency Updates: Iraq
Latest By Country: Iraq
Other ReliefWeb documents by: IFRC
Source URL: http://www.ifrc.org/