Uganda tackles polio

2005-02-26 22:05

Opit - Uganda has begun a drive to vaccinate about a million children under the age of five against polio in an attempt to prevent a feared outbreak in Sudan from spreading, the UN agency for children said on Saturday.

"We want Uganda to remain polio-free, together we can create a barrier for polio never to return to Uganda," said Martin Mogwanja, the country's UN Children's Fund (Unicef) representative.

The first phase of the exercise, which kicked off in Opit camp about 40km north of Gulu, town is to be carried out in the country's 15 northern districts.

Health officials will also check the children for vaccination against measles, tuberculosis, diphteria, haemophilus influenza and hepatitis B as well as screening women of child-bearing age for vaccination against tetanus.

The first phase of the exercise, sponsored by Unicef, the UN World Health Organisation and other donors, is expected to end on Sunday and the second round to begin on 7 May.

Uganda has not recorded a case of polio in the past three years, but with reported cases of an outbreak in neighbouring Sudan, the government has had to take preventive measures, the health ministry said.

- AFP