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700,000 children line up for shot against measles

[Guinea-Bissau] Girl shows her vaccination certificate. UNICEF
Vaccination certificates in Guinea Bissau. A new drug being tested in West Africa could cut meningitis deaths by 50 percent
    BISSAU

    Some 700,000 youngsters - or around one in two of Guinea Bissau’s population of 1.4 million - are to be vaccinated against measles over the next two weeks.

    After malaria, measles is one of the top killers of Bissau-Guinean children, and the 15-29 May campaign is targeted at children aged between six months and 14 years.

    “I want to ask the entire population to take an active part in this campaign to deliver our children from measles,” said Health Minister Antonia Mendes Teixeira on launching the vaccination drive which is taking part countrywide with the help of 1,900 health workers as well as volunteers.

    On receiving their shots against measles, a highly contagious viral disease, children also will be given vitamin A as well as medecine against intestinal worms.

    The vaccination campaign is backed by the United Nations, and UN Coordinator in Guinea-Bissau Michel Balima said the aim was to protect all of the West African country’s children against the virus.

    The last measles epidemic in the country, in 2004, killed 63 of the 2,455 children infected.

    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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