UNICEF Chief Visits DRC Over Polio Outbreak

UNICEF Chief Visits DRC Over Polio Outbreak

The Executive Director of United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF, Anthony Lake is in Kinshasa , the capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), amid reports of a new outbreak of polio.

A UN statement said Lake would meet with key government officials on Tuesday and visit sites where health workers are battling a rapidly spreading outbreak of polio.

Lake would be in DRC for four days, “taking stock of progress made toward child survival and protection while assessing remaining challenges posed by continued instability in the DRC.”

Political instability

The UN agency said the political instability in DRC had complicated vaccination efforts leading to a ‘sharp resurgence of polio' in the country.

From January 2010 to February 2011, there were 112 new cases compared to three cases detected in 2009.

Vaccination of children

The UN agency plans to vaccinate more than 14 million children by the end of May.

“Eradicating polio in DRC and everywhere requires an absolute commitment by government and its partners to vaccinate every child,” Lake said.

He pledged that UNICEF would do everything to support the DRC's collective effort to defeat the virus.

NAN/Margaret/Yinka