UNICEF Polio Campaigns To Begin In South Sudan

21 February 2011 – (Juba) – The United Nations Children’s Fund says that no case of polio has been reported in southern Sudan since June 2009.

UNICEF’s communications officer, Bismarck Swangin spoke to SRS in Juba on Monday.

[Bismarck Swangin]: “First of all it is good news that there are no more cases of polio in southern Sudan at the moment and this is partly because of the continuous vaccination that has been conducted in most of the counties. The campaign enables you to go to the community while the routine system encourages these communities to bring their children to the center.”

Swangin urged every parent to have children under the age of five be vaccinated.

[Bismarck Swangin]: “UNICEF would like to urge communities, parents, local authorities and mothers to ensure that their children under the age of 5 get the 2-polio-drops. The 2-polio-drops are a lifetime gift for a child to stay alive- for a child to get protected from the risk of being infected with polio. The vaccine is safe. It is for free.”

Two rounds of Polio vaccination campaigns will take place from 22 to 25 February and 29 March to April 1, 2011 for all children under five years of age.