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Ananova:

Unicef has announced it is in a "race against time" to vaccinate half a million Iraqi children against measles before the start of possible war.

The humanitarian agency has immunised 92% of Iraqi children under five, but believes 500,000 children are still unprotected.

Thousands of volunteers aim to complete the immunisation task on Thursday by going door-to-door and poring over vaccination records.

The threat of war has led to an acceleration of the vaccination campaign by the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Unicef, which is providing 500,000 doses of measles vaccine, financial and logistical support.

Later this month Unicef will target children between six and 12 years old, who are not as vulnerable to death from measles as their younger counterparts.

Unicef emergency co-ordinator Sarah Epstein said: "When people are forced to move they become more vulnerable, especially when they are are malnourished.

"If large numbers of people are together in refugee camps things like measles spread more easily.

"It only takes one person to spread it in situations of conflict for it to become an epidemic."

Story filed: 17:49 Wednesday 5th March 2003

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