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WHO fears possible polio outbreak in Ukraine - WHO is planning a vaccination campaign

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  • WHO fears possible polio outbreak in Ukraine - WHO is planning a vaccination campaign

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    WHO fears polio outbreak in Ukraine

    September 9th 2014

    "After a month in the country will not vaccines" against any diseases, stated the representative of a special agency of the UN in the field of health

    GENEVA, September 9. Itar-Tass Ilya Dmitryachev /.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) fears polio outbreak in Ukraine. Told reporters Doris Nitzan, special representative of the UN agencies in the field of health in Ukraine.

    "We are concerned about the possibility of outbreaks of polio," - she said, explaining that "a month in the country is not vaccines" against any diseases. "The number of children we will have to instill is enormous," - said Nitzan.

    According to her, before the start of the crisis in the east of the country "fully vaccinated against polio were less than 50% of the children."

    According to WHO, the last outbreak of the highly contagious viral disease occurred in Ukraine 30 years ago. "As soon as the first recorded case of polio, it would mean that there are about 200 cases that were not diagnosed directly, but after the first case the international community will help quickly and, hopefully, to a large-scale epidemic that will not come," - resulted in possible scenarios representative of the organization.

    "We have a very specific plan, we work with them, the only thing we need - a means to provide more vaccines," - she said.

    In mid-August, WHO appealed to donors to provide $ 14 million to help Ukraine. However, funding for this special fund is of great complexity. At the moment, attracted only $ 40 thousand.

    Among other diseases that it is important to ensure that the country's population immunization, WHO experts called measles, tetanus, mumps, rubella, mumps.

    As explained by Nitzan, today in Ukraine there is no vaccine stocks. "If you look at the leading medical centers in Kiev, you can still find something, but reserves to meet the needs of the health system is not" - said the expert.
    In the WHO state that in such a difficult situation, Ukraine was primarily due to the civil war that broke out in mid-April in the east. At the same time, they note that an additional factor was the weakness of the system of Ukrainian health care in recent years.

    "This crisis has found the health care system of Ukraine in the middle of the reform process", - said Nitzan. Superimposed on this and other factors, the expert explained, citing the example of a measles outbreak in the Ukraine in 2008, when the WHO and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has provided the country immunization, but faced with a powerful antivaktsinnoy campaign.

    "People were scared of vaccines and for many years did not want their children vaccinated," - she said, stressing that Kiev was trying to convince people to make the necessary vaccinations.

    According to the WHO, as a result of shelling during the fighting in the east of Ukraine 32 hospitals completely incapacitated, 17, hit by shelling, but continue to operate. Besides attacks Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, Lugansk and Donetsk have been, and doctors, and coaches "ambulance". As a result, fearing for their lives, about 70% of health workers left the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. "Ukrainian health needs are enormous," - said Nitzan.

    According to her, in the most vulnerable are people who find themselves in areas where fighting is taking place, as well as internally displaced persons, the number of which, according to the UN, has reached 260 thousand. Persons.

    The situation in Ukraine. Chronicle of events. September 9

    Itar-Tass
    ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
    Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

    ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

  • #2
    Re: "WHO fears possible polio outbreak in Ukraine" - Mediareport

    No vaccine stocks in crisis-hit Ukraine: WHO

    AFP , Tuesday 9 Sep 2014


    Conflict-torn Ukraine is facing a health emergency, with no stocks of any vaccines and dire shortages of many medicines, the World Health Organization warned Tuesday.

    "Ukraine has no vaccines... They don't have any vaccines in their storage," said Dorit Nitzan, who heads WHO's country office in Ukraine.

    "Even before the crisis they had low (immunisation) coverage," she told reporters in Geneva, stressing that there was a dearth of "every kind of vaccine."

    The shortage raises deep concerns that polio could break out in Ukraine, Nitzan said, pointing out that the crippling disease that mainly hits young children "usually comes in countries in turmoil."

    More: Ahram online

    Ukraine: a polio outbreak waiting to happen, say UNICEF and WHO

    25 April 2014, Kyiv ? A poliomyelitis (polio) outbreak in Ukraine is inevitable if urgent action is not taken,say UNICEF and WHO on the occasion of the European Immunization Week. The current polio circulation in the Middle East and remaining polio-endemic countries (Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan), as well as frequent population movements and low vaccination coverage, increase dramatically the risk of the spread of wild poliovirus in Ukraine.

    More: United Nations in Ukraine
    ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
    Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

    ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: "WHO fears possible polio outbreak in Ukraine"

      WHO is planning a vaccination campaign for polio and measles in Ukraine

      sept 10, 2014 ; WHO communication via Twitter:

      WHO ‏@WHO 38m
      Crisis in eastern #Ukraine is creating looming health emergency as hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced as winter approaches

      WHO ‏@WHO 37m
      #Ukraine: 260,000 ppl have registered as internally displaced persons, >300,000 have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries

      WHO @WHO · 34m
      WHO, partners are preparing to provide essential medical supplies for up to 340,000 ppl #Ukraine

      WHO ‏@WHO 34m
      Health situation in #Ukraine is marked by weak health system, low immunization coverage, high burden of chronic disease

      WHO ‏@WHO 32m
      #Ukraine: 32+ hospitals in crisis-affected regions are not functioning, 17 have been shelled & damaged but continue to offer some care

      WHO ‏@WHO 20m
      Supplies provided by WHO, partners are to include drugs, vax, surgical and trauma materials, other hospital & medical equipment #Ukraine

      WHO ‏@WHO 17m
      With partner #Ukraine Red Cross, WHO establishes emergency primary health care mobile units to offer basic treatment to displaced ppl

      WHO ‏@WHO 15m
      In coop w/ @UNICEF, WHO is planning a vaccination campaign for polio and measles for ppl affected by the eastern #Ukraine crisis

      WHO ‏@WHO 12m
      WHO is working w/ @UNHCR to prepare shelters for displaced ppl in #Ukraine for winter
      ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
      Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

      ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: WHO fears possible polio outbreak in Ukraine - WHO is planning a vaccination campaign

        WHO

        WHO responding to serious health concerns in conflict-affected Ukraine

        Geneva/Kiev ? 9 September 2014 ? The crisis in eastern Ukraine is creating a looming health emergency as hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and are living in varying and often exposed conditions as winter approaches, many without official status either as internally displaced persons or as refugees.

        Some 260 000 persons have registered as internally displaced persons (IDPs) and more than 300 000 have fled as refugees to neighbouring countries, with most going to the Russian Federation, according to UNHCR. But the actual number is thought to be considerably higher. Many are living in unheated shelters.

        The health situation in Ukraine is marked by a weak health system, low immunization coverage, and a high burden of chronic disease. At least 32 hospitals in the affected regions are not functioning. Seventeen have been shelled and damaged, but continue to offer at least limited care. In addition, up to 70% of health staff have fled the conflict-affected areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.

        WHO and partners are intensifying humanitarian health services by:

        preparing to provide essential medical supplies that can serve up to 340 000 people, including drugs, vaccines, surgical materials, trauma supplies, and other hospital and medical equipment;

        establishing emergency primary health care mobile units in partnership with the Ukraine Red Cross to offer basic treatment, including psychosocial care, to displaced persons;

        expanding the scale of the national early warning system for infectious disease outbreak prevention and control, working with Ukrainian authorities;

        leading the establishment of a Ukrainian medical-supplies platform to coordinate health-sector activities efficiently in partnership with UNICEF, the Red Cross, UNFPA, and other organizations;

        planning a vaccination campaign for polio and measles in cooperation with UNICEF;

        and working with UNHCR in winterizing IDP shelters.
        ?The health needs for people affected by the eastern Ukraine crisis are great and urgent action is needed to treat people who require all manner of care and services, from noncommunicable diseases and immunizations to the delivery of babies,? said Dr Dorit Nitzan, WHO Representative to Ukraine.

        Continued fighting and shelling in Donetsk and Luhansk is triggering further displacement. Reports indicate a sharp rise in the need in these regions for basic services such as primary health care, water, and electricity.

        In mid-August, WHO appealed for US $14 million to scale up operations in Ukraine to conduct a targeted humanitarian response based on needs in the affected areas; boost early recovery of health-care services in post-conflict areas; provide technical support to the Government; and aid in monitoring and assessing the national health system.

        Altogether, almost 4 million people have been affected by the crisis. Nearly 2600 had been killed and over 7000 injured as of 28 August, according to figures compiled by WHO and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

        WHO
        ?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
        Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet

        ~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~

        Comment

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