UNICEF: Measles Kill 30 Children At UNMISS Camp At least 30 children have died of measles in civilian protection centres in Bor according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). 27 January 2014
*BOR, 27 January 2014 (Gurtong) -* The child's agency is warning of a humanitarian crisis unfolding outside Bor town in Jonglei state and other towns in South Sudan. Amid the outbreak of measles among children, UNICEF has rushed in supplies overnight to vaccinate 4,000 children against measles and polio and supplied Vitamin A to boost children's immune system. A press statement issued by UNICEF on Sunday says few humanitarian agencies have been able to gain access to the population of Bor who fled the fighting to seek protection in the PoC centre in Bor. Grave insecurity means only a limited number of aid workers are able to operate within the centre. A team of five health officials from the UN Children's Fund stayed overnight in the Bor camp to distribute vaccines and train 10 teams of local vaccinators to immunize at least 4,000 children in the cramped and overcrowded camp. "Children have survived violent conflict only to face the risk of dying in appalling conditions -- and if we can't reach them with humanitarian aid, that risk will increase dramatically," said Dermot Carty deputy director of Emergency Programmes for UNICEF. Bor is just 140 kms from Juba but the road has been the frontline in the South Sudan conflict. The health infrastructure in Bor, as in other parts of the country, has been largely destroyed or supplies have been looted. The immunization campaign kicked off after two plane loads of urgently needed medical supplies were chartered by UNICEF and flew into Juba this week, carrying 70 tons of urgently needed supplies for children and women. The planes brought in medical supplies, cold chain equipment, treatment for malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea and malnutrition, as well as nutrients, vitamins, antibiotics and pain-killers for children. The supplies also include midwifery and obstetric surgery kits and water and sanitation equipment, and tents, tarpaulins and blankets. Immunization campaigns are also underway in camps for the displaced in Juba. In total UNICEF and partners aim to vaccinate 180,000 children below 15 years against measles polio and measles. UNICEF still needs $32 million to meet immediate needs for the South Sudan crisis. The numbers of displaced increased rapidly - at least half a million people are now estimated to have left their homes. Nearly 70,000 of those displaced within the country are sheltering in (PoC) centers of the UN Mission in South Sudan; 86,000 are reported to have fled to neighbouring countries. Most are women and children. Posted in: Home<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/1/Home.aspx> , Health<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/7/Health.aspx> , Humanitarian<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/8/Humanitarian.aspx> , Featured Stories<http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/CategoryView/mid/519/categoryId/137/Featured-Stories.aspx> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14opV2uXdEocDw39UHjg3iKHMOhKdv%3DbWfmhde9yeY5a3dQ%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
