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	Immunization of refugee children starts in Macedonia

Information Newsline

April 26, 1999

The first round of immunization for Kosovar children in refugee camps in Macedonia begins today, in an effort to prevent the spread of major childhood diseases.

More than 8,900 children under five years of age in the camps will be vaccinated against polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus. Newborn infants will be vaccinated against tuberculosis.

The campaign is coordinated by the UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in close cooperation with the Macedonian Ministry of Health and Institute of Public Health. Vaccination will be carried out by health workers from the Ministry of Health, the NGO International Medical Corps, and the Institute of Mother and Child Health.

Vaccination will take place in Stenkovec I camp on 26-30 April and in Neprosteno camp from 28-29 April. Children in all the other camps will be vaccinated in the following days.

The second and third rounds of the campaign will commence on 26 May and 26 June in order to immunize new refugee arrivals against measles, mumps and rubella, and to administer follow up doses of polio, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus for those children that received initial doses in the first round.

Each child will receive a card which records their vaccination history. UNICEF has produced leaflets, posters and flyers for distribution in the camps to alert parents to the campaign and the importance of vaccinating their children.

High priority is being given to the campaign because of the low immunization rates among Kosovar children which have resulted from the conflict.

UNICEF will assist the Ministry of Health to undertake a separate immunization campaign for refugee children living with host families throughout Macedonia.

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