Reference :
V-P-LB-E-01448
Date :
08/2015
Caption :
Akkar. The Ministry of Public Health, with the support of the ICRC and the Lebanese Red Cross Society, launches an immunization campaign in order to vaccinate over 4000 children.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
ICRC website article, 12.08.2015: « Lebanon: Health ministry launches child immunization campaign in Akkar with Red Cross support. Beirut / Tripoli (ICRC / MoPH) – A door-to-door immunization campaign was launched last week in Lebanon's northern district of Akkar. This initiative is led by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC). The 10-day campaign should vaccinate over 4,000 children under five in 13 municipalities in the area of Dreib Al-Awsat.
"The per capita number of primary health-care centres in Dreib Al-Awsat is one of the lowest in the country. That is why we decided to target this area, especially now that it is hosting a large number of refugees from Syria," explained Dr Hassan Chedid, the ministry official in charge of the campaign. "Following the results of a survey carried out together with the ICRC, we decided to conduct a catch-up vaccination campaign, in accordance with the Ministry's compulsory vaccinations calendar."
"The aim is to reduce the risk of epidemics in an area where access to health care remains limited," said Rodolfo Rossi, an ICRC health delegate in Lebanon. "Once it is completed, the Ministry will provide the primary health-care centres with a list of the children's names so that they can be followed up and their parents contacted if necessary."
While the ICRC's support is mainly financial and logistical, the LRC's staff and volunteers are directly involved in the campaign, working side by side with Ministry health specialists.
"Children's future growth, well-being and health depend largely on immunization," said Ghassan Hanna, an LRC volunteer participating in the campaign. "This campaign is very important and timely, and we are glad to be involved as an auxiliary to the public authorities."
The ICRC and the LRC have supported the Ministry of Public Health in carrying out similar campaigns in the past in southern Lebanon and Beirut, focusing on the most vulnerable communities.»
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
5760x3840
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
