CÔTE D’IVOIRE FACES RISE IN POLIO

 

(Issued on 15 October 2004)

New York, 13 October (OCHA) -- The twelfth confirmed case of polio in Côte d’Ivoire in less than a year marks a drastic increase in a country, in which polio was thought to have been eradicated.  The number of confirmed cases has risen from 8 to 12 cases in four months.  The latest cases have all been confirmed in the northern zone of the country, where medical services have been largely cut off since the country plunged into conflict two years ago.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations World Health Organization have carried out four national immunization campaigns in 2004, the latest was between 8 to 11 October.  They are appealing to international donors for funds to carry out another two rounds of polio and measles vaccinations before the end of the year.

To date, humanitarian agencies have received just 6 per cent of the $14.3 million they have requested to carry out emergency health programmes.  In terms of overall percentages, the United Nations’ Humanitarian Appeal for Côte d’Ivoire has received less than any other United Nations appeal -- only 16.7 per cent of the $61 million required for emergency programmes in 2004 has been received.

Côte D’Ivoire’s polio outbreak is a reflection of the generally precarious state of the health sector in northern and western Côte d’Ivoire, the zones most affected by the crisis.  Ivorian health staff is yet to be redeployed -- in some cases the staff has been absent since the crisis began two years ago -- and as the various state structures responsible for provision of medicines and other supplies are not in place.  Currently, local populations rely entirely upon the many humanitarian organizations working within this domain, which are running hospitals, health centres, and mobile health clinics in these areas.

The UNICEF continues to reinforce the capacities of the health sector and train health staff on the management of medicines as part of their programme to improve health care and ensure that children are vaccinated properly.  The project is financed by the European Union and covers the health districts of Bouaké, Korhogo, Boundiali, Tiengrela, Odienné, Bouna, M’bahiakro and Tiébissou.  So far, UNICEF has trained 36 administrative staff, 22 doctors, 241 nurses and 439 health care assistants, 738 in total.

For further information, please call:  Stephanie Bunker, OCHA New York, tel.:  917 367 5126, mobile:  917 892 1679; Elizabeth Byrs, OCHA Geneva, tel.:  41 22 917 2653, mobile:  41(0) 79 472 4570.

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