AFRO-NETS> U.N. Calls For Uganda Ceasefire For Child Immunization Drive

[Dr Rana Jawad Asghar <jawad@alumni.washington.edu>]

U.N. Calls For Uganda Ceasefire For Child Immunization Drive
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Source: U.N.Wire
Friday, October 10, 2003
 
 
UNICEF and World Health Organization representatives in Uganda 
have asked the government and rebel groups to observe an eight-
day ceasefire, beginning Tuesday, to allow more than 50,000 vac-
cinators to immunize children against measles.
 
"No cause and no conflict can be greater or more urgent than the 
cause of protecting all the children of Uganda from this deadly 
disease," the representatives said in a statement. "Let peace 
reign in Uganda for at least the duration of the mass immuniza-
tion activities so that the children can be saved."
 
UNICEF and WHO, along with Uganda's Ministry of Health, expect to 
vaccinate all 12.7 million children between 6 months and 15 years 
of age in the country (UNICEF release, Oct. 7).
 
Following the agencies' plea, government army spokesman Shaban 
Bantariza said the government is committed to the ceasefire, but 
that the organizations "need to work a little harder to convince 
the [Lord's Resistance Army rebels] to observe their calls. For 
us, we want our children to be immunized, but if they attack dur-
ing the period, we are under obligation to defend the people."
 
The LRA, which has been fighting with Uganda's government since 
1988, is accused of abducting boys and girls to be used for 
fighting and sexual exploitation (Agence France-Presse/ReliefWeb, 
Oct. 9).
 
 
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Dr Rana Jawad Asghar
Program Manager Child Survival, Mozambique
Provincial Coordinator Sofala Province, Mozambique
Health Alliance International, Seattle, WA, USA
http://depts.washington.edu/haiuw/
Coordinator South Asian Public Health Forum 
http://www.saphf.org
mailto:jawad@alumni.washington.edu 
http://www.DrJawad.com

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