| Reporting Organization: | UNICEF |
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| Total Budget ($CAD): | $ 17,000,000 |
| Timeframe: | February 29, 2012 - March 31, 2014 |
| Status: | Completion |
| Contact Information: | Unspecified |
| Afghanistan - $ 17,000,000.00 (100.00%) | |
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| Infectious & Communicable Diseases (100 %) | |
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This grant to UNICEF supports the polio immunization activities of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in Afghanistan. Through the Polio Eradication project, more than seven million children across Afghanistan receive polio vaccinations. Polio vaccination campaigns occur regularly throughout Afghanistan at a national level and also at a provincial level in areas where there is a higher rate of incidence of the disease. The polio campaigns are also used as a platform for delivering other essential health services such as micronutrient supplementation and health promotion. Afghanistan is one of three countries in the world where polio remains endemic. Children younger than the age of five are most at risk for being infected by the disease and the risk is highest in southern Afghanistan. The biggest barrier to eradicating polio in Afghanistan is the unstable security situation. As part of the project, local health workers work to ensure that the polio vaccine is administered to children despite this situation. UNICEF leads the procurement and distribution of polio vaccines for the immunization campaigns, as well as providing technical assistance and communications support for the campaigns. CIDA has also partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) for the implementation of the Polio Eradication project.
| Gender and age: | Under-5 children |
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| Total Direct Population: | Unspecified |
Unspecified
Return to topThe expected intermediate results for this project include: increased vaccination coverage in every district in Afghanistan.
CIDA is providing grants to UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) to support polio eradication efforts across Afghanistan. The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI), implemented by UNICEF, WHO and the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) in Afghanistan, is coordinating efforts to eradicate polio in the country through activities such as vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance and awareness campaigns. In 2012, the Government of Afghanistan has made the eradication of polio a priority, by creating an Inter-Ministerial Task Force that saw a whole-of-government approach to polio eradication. In addition, Afghanistan’s Emergency Action Plan was created and is now being implemented.
Afghanistan reported total of 37 confirmed polio cases in 2012 compared to 80 cases reported in 2011 in the country. Epidemiological data shows that 65% of the cases are contained in the Southern region. Progress is being made, in 2013, only 14 polio cases have been confirmed.
