DUSHANBE. June 4. “Asia-Plus” — The European Commission allocated 145,000 EUR to support a nation-wide vaccination campaign of children against polio in Tajikistan, EC representative Mahbuba Abdullaeva told the AP. The European Commission provided 145,000 EUR to contribute to this massive vaccination campaign of young children, she said.
“ The funds have been used to support the mobilisation and training of 400 Red Crescent volunteers, the actual vaccination campaign and the parallel public awareness campaign,” Abdullaeva has said, adding that the aid was channelled through the Tajikistan Red Crescent who operates with funding out of The Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The European Commission has signed a 2 million EUR humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation”s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF).
Polio outbreak occurred in Tajikistan in late March this year 13 years after the last polio case was reported in the republic. Tajik Health Ministry says a total of 139 polio cases were confirmed in the country and more than 500 people were registered with polio symptoms.
Two lethal cases have already been reported. The government of Tajikistan conducts a nation-wide vaccination campaign together with UNICEF, WHO and other partners. The campaign covers 3 million children up to 16 years of age.
