MaximsNewsNetwork: 23 November 2010 -- UNICEF: Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC -- In the DRC, theUnited Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) provides the 12 million polio vaccine doses necessary for a major immunization campaign; some 30 cases of the wild polio virus have been registered in October 2010 and only three in 2009. October's three-day campaign reached more than 100 percent of its target, in most Eastern DRC provinces and the next round is due from 23 to 25 November, for all children under five to get these two drops. UNICEF and its partners advocated for the mass immunization campaign, even in areas controlled by armed groups. With the campaign, DRC aims to reach over 11 million children aged between 0 and 59 months. Taking these two drops of oral polio vaccine once or many times before the age of five, can prevent a child from being paralyzed for life or dying of the disease. For many parents are still reluctant to vaccinate their children because they believe they will become sterile. SOUNDBITE (French) Justine Zawadi, Mother: "A mother should have her child vaccinated if she loves them, to ensure they have good health.'" SOUNDBITE (French) Felicien Molima, UNICEF North Kivu/Maniema Head of office: "UNICEF fights against such rumors, such reluctance, with usual communication strategies such a strong advocacy for the different leaders to understand the importance of the vaccination, but also towards the different NGOs, women's associations to better convey ...
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