UNICEF: Child Health Days in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Zimbabwe, 18 June 2009 UNICEF recently supported a successful round of outreach vaccinations during 'Child Health Days'. The intensive five-day campaign reached even the most remote communities in Zimbabwe.

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The campaign recorded a huge turnout, a positive sign in light of the country's recent 'twin disaster' a cholera epidemic heightened by a collapse in both the health and social services sectors.

"Clinics and hospital are open. Nurses are back at work and the turnout for the child health days is huge," said UNICEF Country Representative, Roeland Monasch. "This is good news. A year ago the health sector had almost collapsed. Today, the nurses are back and the benefits for children are immense."

Thousands of health workers and volunteers trained by UNICEF and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare conducted outreach activities, as children were vaccinated from tuberculosis, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and polio.

UNICEF is supported to carry out the health days by the UK's Department International Development (DFID), the Japanese Government, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Centre for Disease Control, and the UNICEF UK and Dutch National Committees. The days are hosted in partnership with the Helen Keller Foundation. UNICEF has invested almost three million dollars on vaccines, logistics, staff time and social mobilization.

To read the full story, visit http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/zimbabwe_50044.html

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• UNICEF
• Zimbabwe
• Child
• Health
• Days
• vaccination
• measles
• diphtheria
• tetanus
• polio

[YohBoh]

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