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October 4, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"UN Suspends Anti-Polio Campaign in South Sudan After Flight Ban" Agence France Presse (www.afp.com/english/home) (10/02/02)

A supplementary polio vaccination campaign, targeting 791,000 children in southern Sudan, was postponed and will not begin as scheduled next Monday due to a flight ban in the war-torn region that delayed arrival of polio vaccines and staff, according to multi-agency aid group Operation Lifeline Sudan spokesperson Martin Dawes.  Officials imposed a nine-day flight ban after fighting between government troops and the Sudan People's Liberation Army increased.  Although officials said that the flight ban over Eastern and Western Equatoria states was intended to protect relief workers, Dawes expressed concern that residents of the area will miss important polio vaccinations and also go hungry, as over 500,000 people in southern Sudan rely on food aid flown in by the United Nations World Food Program.

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