Description

UNICEF's Iman Morooka reports on a Child Health Days Campaign that successfully delivered life-saving health services to districts throughout Mogadishu, Somalia.

Transcript

Life-Saving Health Services for Children in Mogadishu, Somalia Iman Morooka: You're watching UNICEF television. Despite on going fighting in the Somali capital Mogadishu, a large scale child health day campaign reached more than 288,000 children and 296,000 women with high impact health services in all districts of the capital. As part of the nationwide outreach campaign provide to every Somali child under 5 and every woman of child bearing age with a life saving health package, UNICEF and WHO is supported local authorities and community organizations to implement this critical intervention in Mogadishu. Children were immunized against polio, measles, diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus and received vitamin A, de-worming tablets and nutritional screening. Oral rehydration salts to treat diarrhea and water purification tablets were also distributed as part of the package. More than 3,600 trained health workers participated in delivering these services to communities. This campaign is especially crucial in Mogadishu where people are enduring harsh living conditions and lacking even the most basic social services and the situation is compounded by the continued fighting. Halima Elmi: Our living conditions here are not good. We don’t have health facilities nor water and shelter. We don’t even have job opportunities. I came today to see health workers who have the vaccines. This is what the people here need. Iman Morooka: The UNICEF and WHO staff on the ground work closely with local authorities and partners in the planning and implementation of the campaign. While delivering such a large scale campaign in a volatile environment is challenging. Flexibility and good preparation make it possible to reach children and women in Mogadishu. All vaccines and other supplies were propositioned and health workers were on standby to stop the campaign when and where the security situation allowed. Over a period of three months, all 16 districts of Mogadishu were covered against all odds, determination and commitment to reach the vulnerable children and women in Mogadishu with crucial services made this ambitious initiative possible. This is Iman Morooka reporting for UNICEF Television. Unite for Children.