The remaining 6.5 million children will be vaccinated during 2004. These campaigns are funded by the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), the American Red Cross (ARC), the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, and the United Nations Foundation. UNICEF is working closely with other implementing partners including WHO, International Committee of the Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, Action Contre la Faim, and CARE International to ensure an effective campaign.
Cote D'Ivoire is a complex emergency country and consequently the children are at high risk of death and disability from measles. UNICEF and its sister agency, WHO, are therefore implementing a nationwide measles campaign, first targeting the most vulnerable children in war-zones. This campaign represents an important step in the protection of children’s rights. UNICEF is working to get children back in school, revitalize health centers, and provide basic immunization services to all children.
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For further information, please contact:
Jeffrey Brez, UNICEF Cote d'Ivoire, +225-2020-8176
Margherita Amodeo, UNICEF Media, Dakar, Senegal +221 869 58 42
