UNICEF: Vaccination campaign in tsunami-affected Samoa

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/samoa_51603.html

APIA, Samoa, 2 November 2009 UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) are giving full support to a nationwide measles and vitamin A immunization campaign by the Samoan Government. The campaign aims to protect more than 32,000 children in the wake of the recent tsunami here.

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The six-week campaign started on 26 October in the tsunami-affected districts of Lalomanu and Poutasi. It aims to immunize the most at-risk group of children those between the ages of six months and five years.

UNICEF is providing essential equipment for the campaign, including vaccines, vitamin A supplements, syringes and safety boxes, as well as cold-chain equipment that is needed to keep vaccines at a constant temperature in the tropical heat. The Samoan National Health Service is conducting the campaign in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and providing trained health workers to administer the vaccinations.

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Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• UNICEF
• Samoa
• tsunami
• Apia
• vaccines
• children
• health
• protection