Chad: Children unprotected as polio spreads

by IRIN News

Recent infections have made Chad the country with the highest number of polio cases worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Two drops of oral polio vaccine, shown being administered to a child, given several times at a young age can protect a child for life. Weak coordination, supervision and monitoring; a defective cold-chain; and poor communications are some of the “main problems” with polio immunizations in Chad, according to a new Chad government plan to improve coverage. Photo: UNICEF Chad/2011/Esteve

As polio strikes more and more people in Chad – 68 cases so far this year – tens of thousands of children are unprotected largely due to flaws in how vaccination campaigns are run.

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