English 
Francais 
عربي 
An appeal for immunisation in peace
The WHO and UNICEF express concern in a joint press release about the future of Afghan children. The two UN agencies have launched an appeal to ensure safe access for health professionals during national polio immunisation campaigns.
Afghanistan is one of the last four countries where this disease is still endemic. The efforts made by the authorities last year to immunise as many children as possible resulted in the disease being practically stamped out in the country.
In the southern part of the country, however, there were security problems. “Local immunisation officers are not always able to reach the children, so vaccine coverage has dropped and the incidence of the disease has risen considerably”. Up to thirty cases have been reported in this region since the beginning of the year compared with only four during the same period in 2005. “Days of peace must be agreed in advance during immunisation campaigns so that children can be protected”, says Dr David Heymann, the WHO representative responsible for polio eradication.
Print this article
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Send to a friend
Convert to pdf
Copyright Authorization
12 article(s)
Polio – concern in Central Asia and the Caucasus
Eradicating polio remains an uncertain objective…
Nigeria struck by a polio epidemic caused by vaccination
The WHO’s new “final offensive” against polio
Polio: the end is not yet in sight
Polio: over 3 million Africans vaccinated in 2 days
Polio further spreading because of Nigeria
Polio: Guinea and Mali reinfected!
Polio: a worldwide counter-attack to the upsurge of the virus in Africa
