The Jonglei state ministry of health announced it will extend a vaccination drive against six killer diseases to northern towns held by the rebels.
Dr. Angok Gordon Kuol told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the campaign will target children aged from birth to 15 years, and will include deworming and polio vaccinations.
He said the state wants to vaccinate children across the whole state including in rebel controlled areas because such a vaccination has not taken place since September 2013.
“Yes, concerning the rebel’s towns, we have agreed with the international NGOs to take vaccination kits to those towns under rebels, we believed to serve any person from South Sudan regardless of being under rebels areas or not,” Angok said.
Angok said the vaccination is not being done due to any outbreaks of the diseases.
He said the first phase of the vaccination began on 29 August in the Greater Bor counties and will run until 4 September. The second phase in Greater Pibor and rebel controlled areas will begin on 8 September and end on 15 September.
Angok said that poor roads will be a challenge, but vaccination teams will be given cold boxes to carry vaccines.
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