22 January 2015 - Thousands of children under the age of 15 years recently received polio vaccination at the UNMISS protection site in the Unity State capital Bentiu.

A total of 27,000 children were immunized during the three-day exercise which started on 12 January. This included 1000 children living in Bentiu and Rubkona towns, outside the UNMISS protection site, who were also immunized.

Okot Joseph Okwera, a consultant with UN Children’s organization UNICEF says the campaign was launched after polio cases were reported late last year.

“Following (reports of) cases of polio, we are trying to respond so that we protect children from age of zero to 15 years against polio disease,” he said.

Michael Goo Puot, Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunization with in the state Ministry of Health said two cases of polio were confirmed in the protection site in September.

“One (of the cases) came to the protection site from the Guit County area,” said Mr. Puot.

He said similar campaigns will be conducted in Mayom, Guit, Koch, Nhaldu and Panyijiar counties.