In Brief Egypt to target 12.5 million children in polio campaign

Egypt will launch a four-day polio immunization campaign on 21 April targeting 12.5 million children under five, say officials.
 
“The vaccination drops are very important in line with the state’s policy of immunizing the children against this serious disease,” Amr Qandeel, assistant health minister for preventive medicine, told IRIN.
 
“We call on all parents to show up at health units and centres to allow their children to get the drops.”
 
Egypt was declared polio-free in 2006 after recording its last case in 2004. The campaign will cost the government US$5 million, Qandeel said, and involve 800,000 medical personnel.
 
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