As cholera continues to spread, UNICEF charters 1.6 million doses of vaccines to Sudan
KHARTOUM – 7 October 2019 – UNICEF chartered a plane carrying 1.6 million doses of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) to Khartoum yesterday. The vaccines arrived at a critical time to Sudan as cholera cases continue to be reported. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, since the beginning of the outbreak on 8 September, eight deaths were reported in the Blue Nile and Sennar states.
Funded by the Global Alliance of Vaccines (GAVI), the vaccines will be used in a vaccination campaign, the first in three years, kicking off on 12 October.
Timely procurement and urgent delivery of vaccines is a top priority for UNICEF to prevent cholera from spreading further in Sudan. Together with partners, UNICEF continues to work on water treatment systems and distributing water purification products for stagnant water and the technical support including monitoring for planning and implementation.
Across Sudan, humanitarian teams and community volunteers are raising awareness on hygiene practices and prevention methods, through disseminating information about cholera symptoms and the crucial need for vaccination.
ENDS
For more information, contact Unicef UK Media Team, 0207 375 6030, [email protected]
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Unicef is the world’s leading organisation for children, promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
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