UNICEF [to 25 January 2014]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_71508.html
AVOS: MDG Advocates Join UN SG Ban Ki-moon and Global Leaders on urgent need to empower adolescent girls
European Commission’s Humanitarian Office supports fight against child malnutrition in Sudan with grant of €2 million for UNICEF
KHARTOUM, Sudan/ BRUSSELS, 22 January 2014 – UNICEF Sudan will receive €2 million from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Office to help in the fight against child malnutrition in Sudan.
Measles outbreak threatens children’s lives in Guinea
CONAKRY, 21 January 2014 – UNICEF and its partners have begun to organize a campaign to vaccinate over 1.6 million children to stop a measles outbreak in Guinea amid growing number of cases among children especially in the capital Conakry.
UNICEF airlifts urgent supplies to humanitarian crisis in South Sudan
JUBA, South Sudan, 21 January 2014 – The first of two UNICEF charter planes, each carrying 35 tons of urgently needed supplies for children and women in South Sudan, landed this morning at Juba International Airport.
UNICEF airlift in response to humanitarian crisis in South Sudan
Media Advisory: UNICEF airlift in response to humanitarian crisis in South Sudan
Central African Republic’s children urgently need healing, hope and funding, says UNICEF chief
BANGUI, Central African Republic/DAKAR, Senegal/GENEVA/BRUSSELS, 20 January 2014 – Over the past 72 hours, senseless violence has resulted in many deaths and created tension throughout the Central African Republic in the lead-up to today’s vote to select an interim president of the country.
Measles outbreak threatens children’s lives in Guinea
Excerpt
CONAKRY, 21 January 2014 – UNICEF and its partners have begun to organize a campaign to vaccinate over 1.6 million children to stop a measles outbreak in Guinea amid growing number of cases among children especially in the capital Conakry.
Since November last year, 37 cases have been confirmed in the capital–all children under 10 years old. Over the past few weeks, the number of cases of measles has been increasing sharply and led to the death of one child.
This recent spike has prompted the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of Guinea to officially declare an outbreak in the Conakry municipalities of Matam, Matoto, and Ratoma. The disease has also been reported in other parts of the country –namely the prefectures of Boké, Coyah, Dubreka, Kissidougou, and Mandiana.
“We are very concerned about this outbreak. Measles is highly contagious and extremely dangerous—especially for young, malnourished children. As we’ve already seen, it can be fatal. In a densely populated city like Conakry, disease spreads quickly,” said UNICEF Representative in Guinea Dr. Mohamed Ayoya.
The Government of Guinea, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are joining forces to set up coordinated mechanisms to contain the outbreak. For the initial response, UNICEF will provide vaccines, refrigerators, needles, and other medical supplies and logistical support to the Government for the vaccination of children in the Kaloum and Dixinn neighbourhoods of Conakry as well as in the affected areas outside the capital. MSF and WHO will support vaccination efforts in the outbreak-declared areas of Conakry –namely Matam, Matoto, and Ratoma.
The vaccination phase of the national campaign will begin in the coming weeks as soon as vaccines, supplies and funding to ensure a continuous rollout are available…
