ReliefWeb

IOM has helped Jordan’s Ministry of Health (MoH), WHO and UNICEF to vaccinate over 3.3 million people against measles and rubella in Jordan. Over a million children were also vaccinated against polio, as part of a national vaccination campaign.

From 20th October to 21st November 2013, IOM social mobilizers alerted some 73,000 people to the campaign. IOM also provided support to MoH mobile vaccination teams allowing them to vaccinate some 20,000 Syrian refugees and referred some 5,000 vulnerable refugees living in remote areas to the MoH as part of the campaign.

The campaign, which was planned by the MoH, WHO and UNICEF, followed an April 2013 outbreak of measles in northern Jordan, including Za’atri refugee camp, and cases of polio in Deir Zour in Syria last month.

IOM support to the campaign included 18 vehicles and was focused on Jordan’s southern governorates, eastern and western regions of Amman governorate, and Irbid governorate in the north.

IOM employed 118 community health and social workers from local communities (Jordanians and Syrians) and deployed 44 medical staff to raise awareness of the importance of vaccination, targeting Syrian refugees and members of host communities.

IOM also supported MoH vaccination staff with transport in Ma’an, East Amman, Irbid, Zarqa, Al Balqa, Mafraq, Karak, Tafeleh and Aqaba governorates.

IOM’s participation in the campaign complements an on-going IOM vaccination programme for newly arrived Syrian refugees to Jordan. The programme has vaccinated over 63,000 refugees against measles and 21,722 children against polio. Over 17,000 children have also been given vitamin A supplements.

IOM activities in support of the national vaccination campaign were funded by Kuwait and UNOCHA.

Since March 2011 until 26th November 2013, over 358,000 Syrian refugees have been assisted by IOM in Jordan. Assistance has included transportation from border areas to the Emirates Jordanian (EJC) and Za’atri refugee camps, medical screening and referrals, vaccination of newly arrived Syrian refugees in Za’atri camp, tuberculosis screening and awareness raising, vocational training, distribution of non-food relief items, community mobilization, and support to camp management in EJC.

For more information please contact Veronica Costarelli at IOM Jordan, Email: vcostarelli@iom.int, Tel. +962 775453755