Polio immunisation in rebel areas

Over 1,200 vaccinators carried out a polio immunization exercise on 16-17 February in areas in northern and northeastern Sierra Leone controlled by the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF), participating UN agencies reported. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said 330,000 children in 49 chiefdoms were targeted, and that Vitamin A was also administered to them during the exercise. While reports on coverage were still being awaited, UNICEF said all target areas were believed to have been reached except for some locations in Kambia District that have been bombarded in recent weeks by Guinean armed forces. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the areas were previously inaccessible to health workers because of the war between the RUF and the state since 1991. It said the immunization was made possible after a meeting early this month involving representatives of WHO, the UNICEF, the UN Mission in Sierra Leone and RUF health coordinators. Rotary International also supported the campaign. "The collaboration was peaceful and fraternal in meaningful contrast to the tensions in areas outside of health," said Joaquin Saweka, WHO representative in Sierra Leone. "Health care, in this case, is proving a bridge to building trust and, with it, the potential for peace."