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SIERRA LEONE / VACCINES
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STORY: SIERRA LEONE / VACCINES
TRT: 1.11
SOURCE: UNICEF / GAVI
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 24-26 FEBRUARY 2009, FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
1. Wide shot, people in street
2. Med shot, woman carrying basket on head
3. Med shot, children standing
4. Close up, child
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Nuhu Maksha, UNICEF Project Manager for Immunization in Sierra Leone:
“Sierra Leone has a very high infant and child mortality. It means many children die before the age of five. One of the key interventions for reducing these deaths is immunization, which has proved to be a very cost-effective and evidence-based intervention.”
6. Med shot, baby receiving vaccination
7. Med shot, mothers waiting in line for vaccination
8. Close up, health worker looks at documents
9. Close up, baby
10. Med shot, health workers
11. Med shot, clinic
12. Close up, injection
13. Close up, nurse
14. Med shot, nurse administering injection
15. Close up, crying baby
16. Med shot, mothers
17. Close up, three girls dressed in pink
18. Close up, crying baby
19. Wide shot, street scene
20. Med shot, children in street
In Sierra Leone, people could be considered lucky to have survived into adulthood. In of the poorest countries in the world it’s a struggle to get by, and with poverty, comes a greater vulnerability to killer diseases.
Children are most at risk. A shocking number die at a young age from illnesses which could easily be prevented.
SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Nuhu Maksha, UNICEF Project Manager for Immunization in Sierra Leone:
“Sierra Leone has a very high infant and child mortality. It means many children die before the age of five. One of the key interventions for reducing these deaths is immunization, which has proved to be a very cost-effective and evidence-based intervention.”
Sierra Leone suffered a decade of civil war. It lacks funds, infrastructure and still needs support for healthcare. UNICEF backs the government by assisting with a range of health services in local clinics.
One of these is the life-saving immunization program. UNICEF works hand in hand with the GAVI alliance, an organization which makes vaccines available to millions in the world’s poorest countries. GAVI has already committed twenty-four million dollars to Sierra Leone.
The money is spent on vaccines like the five-in-one shot which protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Hepatitis B and Hib. UNICEF has helped ensure thousands of babies are immunized against these life-threatening diseases.
Immunization coverage for babies has already greatly increased in Sierra Leone and UNICEF aims to reach more children in the future, knowing that every vaccination could prevent a death.
