ZIMBABWE / VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

UNICEF's ‘Child Health Days' campaign to vaccinate children against tuberculosis, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and polio boosts health services in Zimbabwe. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:56
• Production Date: 7 June 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: HEALTH; DISEASE PREVENTION; DISEASE CONTROL
• Geographic Subject: ZIMBABWE
• MAMS Id: U100607e

Description

STORY: ZIMBABWE / IMMUNZATION CAMPAIGN
TRT: 1.56
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 2 JUNE 2010, HARARE, ZIMBABWE

Shotlist

1. Various shots, women and children at queuing at Kuwadzana clinic
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Aboubacar Kampo, Chief of Young Child Survival and Development, UNICEF:
“The turnout was overwhelming to the pt that t created on of the big challenges for the teams in the field, is actually to cope with the attendance of mother bringing their children and even fathers bring their children to the immunization point.”
3. Various shots, children getting vaccinated
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Nikolina Drysdale, Emergency Specialist, UNICEF:
“Some of the challenges are always around the logistics and transportation, to get some of the vaccines from the provincial level in spite of the overwhelming response of the community to the immunization.”
5. Various shots, children being vaccinated
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Aboubacar Kampo, Chief of Young Child Survival and Development, UNICEF:
“More finances are needed to support outreach services, because outreach activities and services are key to maintaining acceptable immunization coverage.”
7. Various shots, women and children

Storyline

Zimbabwe’s largest immunization campaign in over a decade brought an overwhelming response from local communities.

A well-organized team of partners and health workers successfully reached a large number of children with the measles vaccine over the course of 5 days.

SOUNDBITE (English) Aboubacar Kampo, Chief of Young Child Survival and Development, UNICEF:
“The turnout was overwhelming to the pt that t created on of the big challenges for the teams in the field, is actually to cope with the attendance of mother bringing their children and even fathers bring their children to the immunization point.”

It was a highly ambitious campaign.

The aim was to immunize more than 95 per cent of Zimbabwe’s children between 6 months and 15 years of age against measles. In addition children could catch up on routine vaccinations against polio, diphtheria, pertusis and tetanus.

It is estimated that 70 per cent of the target was reached.

SOUNDBITE (English) Nikolina Drysdale, Emergency Specialist, UNICEF:
“Some of the challenges are always around the logistics and transportation, to get some of the vaccines from the provincial level in spite of the overwhelming response of the community to the immunization.”

Outreach teams were mobilized to reach these remote areas. Travelling door to door they impressed upon reluctant parents the life-saving benefits of their immunizing their children.

SOUNDBITE (English) Aboubacar Kampo, Chief of Young Child Survival and Development, UNICEF:
“More finances are needed to support outreach services, because outreach activities and services are key to maintaining acceptable immunization coverage.”

With continued immunization campaigns and Child health Days such as this one, the children of Zimbabwe will have a brighter future.