UNICEF in Myanmar prepares for enhancement of immunization servicesYangon, September 2004 – Myanmar has been making strong progress in expanding life-saving child immunization services, and has remained polio free since 2000. Now UNICEF is working with health providers to strengthen the nation’s routine immunization system to keep children safe from all vaccine preventable diseases. Recently, UNICEF in Myanmar sponsored an immunization ‘cold chain’ workshop in Yangon, laying the foundations for the training of additional health personnel in methods to keep vaccines safe and effective. One of UNICEF’s main activities in Myanmar is working with health providers to immunize children against the seven major vaccine preventable diseases. Since vaccines that are exposed to high temperatures can lose their potency, UNICEF supports a vaccine ‘cold chain’ – a series of storage and transportation links designed to keep vaccines at the correct temperature until they are administered to children – thereby helping insure that children receive safe and effective inoculations against diseases. Since each vaccine has different storage requirements, trained personnel are needed during each step along the vaccine’s transportation chain. Specialized equipment and facilities such as cold rooms, solar refrigerators, freezers, cold boxes and vaccine carriers are also required to ensure safety. UNICEF provides most of the cold chain equipment and over 90% of the vaccines used in Myanmar. UNICEF is enhancing cold chain services with funding provided by the Japanese government and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI). *************** There has been a significant decline in the number of diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, tuberculosis and measles cases in Myanmar over the past decade, and no new cases of polio have been reported in since 2000. *************** For further information please contact:
|
