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Rode Kruis start vaccinatiecampagne in Port-au-Prince

140.000 mensen in Haïti zullen de komende dagen gevaccineerd worden. Enkele honderden lokale vrijwilligers van het Rode Kruis zijn de afgelopen week getraind hierbij te assisteren. De vaccinatiecampagne zorgt voor de bescherming tegen mazelen, difterie, tetanus, rodehond en kinkhoest. Hiermee wordt geprobeerd de verspreiding te voorkomen van deze ziektes, die een levensbedreigend risico vormen voor de mensen in Haïti in de overvolle tijdelijke verblijfplaatsen na de aardbeving. De campagne, die in nauwe samenwerking met onder meer Unicef wordt uitgevoerd, is begonnen in de hoofdstad Port-au-Prince, waar het risico op ziekte het grootst is, en zal geleidelijk worden uitgebreid naar andere delen van het land.

 

Het verdere persbericht is Engelstalig

The IFRC expects to reach 80% of the total number of people to be vaccinated. 'The campaign will concentrate for the moment in Port-au-Prince since it is here that people are considered to be most at risk from disease outbreaks. "People are living in extremely harsh conditions that directly threaten their health and wellbeing" explains Dr. Richard Munz, IFRC Health Coordinator in Haiti. The IFRC expects to vaccinate about 1,800 people during the first day of the vaccination campaign, at a camp located on the old airport runway in Port-au-Prince, known as 'La Piste' and where an estimated 30,000 people are living.

"People will be vaccinated mainly against measles, but also against diphtheria and tetanus. They will be receiving vitamin A and a de-worming treatment as part of the treatment" continues Dr. Munz, "it is an important opportunity to reach those who are most at risk". The campaign is due to last two weeks and will concentrate on people living in hundreds of camps that are now home to people displaced by the earthquake.

"Though the crowded conditions are slowly improving, the situation remains dire. It is going to be a long journey to recovery. Preventing further health deterioration is a fundamental step in this moment of the emergency" according to Dr. Munz. Over 12,000 persons have already received treatment as part of the campaign. An average of 1,300 people will be treated every day through the IFRC's emergency medical facilities which have a collective capacity to treat 340,000 people. The IFRC has sent 186 medical doctors plus dozens of other health staff to Haiti to support the relief and recovery operation.