Photo: On the border with Angola, the health zone of Popokabaka in the Democratic Republic of Congo covers almost 7,000 square kms and is split down the middle by the River Kwango. The car ferry, which once took people backwards and forwards across the river has broken down, and vaccines and other materials often have to be transported over 100 kms in dug-out canoes. WHO works with local health authorities to assess how best to get vaccines and supplies for the campaign to where they are needed in this and the other 14 health zones being targeted along the border. Photo: A. Clements-Hunt
Photo: Many people in these rural border zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo have to walk miles to get to their nearest health centre. Less than half of the vaccination sites have any telephone network and collecting essential data on the progress of the campaign can involve two days of travelling. Local supervisors frequently walk to nearby villages and climb trees in an attempt to access a signal and transmit information to the health zone headquarters. Photo: A. Clements-Hunt
Photo: This rural community health centre is vaccinating around 11,000 people during the campaign. From the first light, people begin queuing in order to receive their vaccinations before they head for the fields. The vaccine is given to everyone aged more than 9 months, including pregnant women. Photo: A. Clements-Hunt
Photo: Whole communities are involved in this yellow fever vaccination campaign. Community mobilizers go door-to-door and village-to-village – often bringing the entire families from remote locations to their nearest vaccination site. The campaign is a rare opportunity to give people free protection from a potentially fatal disease with a safe and effective vaccine. Photo: A. Clements-Hunt
Photo: With limited global supplies of the vaccine and following the recommendations of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts, WHO with the Ministry of Health of Democratic Republic of Congo is using one-fifth of the standard vaccine dose as a short-term emergency measure in Kinshasa to reach as many people as possible. The dose confers protection for 12 months and longer. The government has planned a new campaign next year using the full dose when global vaccine stocks have returned to normal. Photo: WHO/E. Jalil
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World Health Organization
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This rural community health centre is vaccinating around 11,000 people during the campaign. From the first light, people begin queuing in order to receive their vaccinations before they head for the fields. The vaccine is given to everyone aged more than 9 months, including pregnant women.

Photo: A. Clements-Hunt

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