UNICEF wants to vaccinate 180,000 displaced children in South Sudan

[link to www.standardmedia.co.ke] In the wake of the ceasefire signed on Thursday 23rd January 2014, UNICEF is warning of a humanitarian crisis unfolding outside Bor town in Jonglei state and other towns in South Sudan.

Amid an outbreak of measles among children in the Protection of Civilian (PoC) centres at UNMISS camp; which caused at least 30 child deaths; UNICEF rushed in supplies overnight to vaccinate 4,000 children against measles and polio and supplied Vitamin A to boost children’s immune system. Few humanitarian agencies have been able to gain access to the population of Bor who fled the fighting to seek protection in the PoC centre in Bor. Grave insecurity means only a limited number of aid workers are able to operate within the centre.

A team of five health officials from the UN Children’s Fund stayed overnight in the Bor camp to distribute vaccines and train 10 teams of local vaccinators to immunize at least 4,000 children in the cramped and overcrowded camp.

“Children have survived violent conflict only to face the risk of dying in appalling conditions — and if we can’t reach them with humanitarian aid, that risk will increase dramatically ,” said Dermot Carty deputy director of Emergency Programmes for UNICEF.


.......... Immunization campaigns are also underway in camps for the displaced in Juba. In total UNICEF and partners aim to vaccinate 180,000 children below 15 years against measles polio and measles.

UNICEF still needs $32 million to meet immediate needs for the South Sudan crisis.


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Last Edited by Uncle Fuck Stick on 01/27/2014 11:05 PM