At the request of the Ministry of Health of Yemen, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is heading a campaign aimed at eradicating polio in Yemen.

The project will vaccinate approximately 80,000 children under the age of five. It is also meant to stop an ongoing polio outbreak that began in late February, affecting approximately 179 children. Teams deployed by the Ministry of Public Health will complete the vaccination, going from house to house to vaccinate children in the community.

At the inaugural ceremony Mansour Ahmed Saif, governor of al-Jawf, praised ADRA for their efforts and offered his support for the campaign. He warned listeners that disturbing any projects would only delay health services from reaching various areas.

The national polio campaign ran from May 31 to June 2, however, the campaign serving the Governorate of al-Jawf will run until June 16. During the first three days of the campaign, ADRA organized 320 health workers and vaccinated 17,229 children in four districts, reaching more than 95 percent of the children in the target areas.

"We have had great success in the campaign so far," commented Nagi Khalil, director of ADRA in Yemen. "I appreciate the coordination and the support of the local authorities and the Ministry of Health and the trust they have put in ADRA to conduct this important campaign."

The project, which is valued at $70,000, is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It is aimed at strengthening basic health services for residents in the governorate of al-Jawf.

ADRA is present in 125 countries providing individual and community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, or ethnicity. [Editor: Nadia McGill for APD]