Aiming to prevent polio, the second round of a vaccination campaign targeting children under the age of five started in Unity State this week.

UNICEF and the World Health Organisation are conducting the three-day vaccination exercise which will target children at the UNMISS protection of civilians (PoC) site in Bentiu, as well as those in Bentiu and Rubkona towns.

“As you know there has been a case of polio reported in Unity State,” said UNICEF Emergency Specialist Tsedeye Girma. “It is critical to make sure that all children are properly immunized and to really make sure that they are safe and will not get polio.”

Ms. Girma added that the campaign was a joint effort with other partners and the community to  mobilize parents as well as children under five in order to protect the children.

“When you see the polio vaccinators with the yellow t-shirts, be ready with your children under five to make sure they get a second dose (of the vaccine) and are safe.”

Rebecca Nyaguel Duoth, an internally displaced person (IDP) and mother of four at the UNMISS PoC site, pledged that the community would cooperate and allow the teams to immunize the children.

“We were informed about this vaccine and we trust that (it) will prevent my children from getting polio, even though sometimes it give my kids fever,” she said.

Another IDP, Changdar Gatluak, said there was a need for the parents to be educated about vaccine.

“We want to first understand the vaccine before our children get it,” said the father of five. “There is a need for the awareness in the community. We believe that the vaccine is very important for our children.”