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New measles campaign to net more children

[Zimbabwe] Boy - Porta Farm Obinna Anyadike/IRIN
Measles campaign to benefit thousands of children
    JOHANNESBURG

    Thousands of children in Zimbabwe, who were not covered in last year's measles immunisation campaign, are expected to benefit from a follow-up programme set to kick off on 21 July, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Monday.

    The UN agency has made available US $257 million to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to cover 16 districts across the country.

    In July 2002 a 10-day immunisation campaign reached only 80 percent of its target of 2 million children under the age of five, UNICEF health consultant Eugen Manyora told IRIN.

    "Last year there was a shortage of resources such as syringes and needles. Also, a resource-strapped awareness campaign can be attributed to the programme's failure to meet its goal."

    It was possible that the original target of 2 million children, based on 1992 census data, was over-estimated and population growth may actually have declined since then as a result of the socio-economic crisis the country was facing, Manyora added.

    "While mortality among children has dramatically declined, morbidity continues to be a problem," Manyora commented.

    Measles is the leading killer disease among children in Zimbabwe.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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