World Health Organisation
15 March 2011 Shousha transit camp, Tunisia–Tunisian Ministry of Public Health, supported by WHO, UNICEF and other health partners, started a vaccination campaign for an estimated 100 children under 5 years currently residing in camps. Strong winds and whirling sand are slowing down preparations, but the organizers are aware of the critical importance of vaccination.
‘As the number of families arriving at the camp incrementally rises, coupled with the fact that the length of stay of some of the families can get longer especially for those from Somalia and Eriteria (countries in conflict themselves), the risk for vaccine preventable illnesses in children inherently goes up’ says Dr. Irshad Shaikh of the World Health Organization. ‘We hope we will be able to cover all children in couple of days’.
The vaccination includes 7 antigens – diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, BCG, measles, whooping cough and hepatitis B. For children who have their vaccination records, necessary remaining vaccines will be administered.
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