Many of the diseases that kill children in Mali are entirely preventable. Routine childhood vaccinations save lives; however, in remote Ouelessebougou many parents neither have access to nor can afford to immunize their children. This project will provide free vaccinations for children ages 0 - 5 for 9 life-threatening diseases including polio, yellow fever and measles. The Alliance partners with the Ouelessebougou Hospital and plans to distribute vaccinations to 4,000 children in 2021.
Currently, every tenth child in Mali dies before the age of 5, while one in 33 newborns do not survive the first month of life. Unfortunately, only 45 percent of children in Mali receive all basic vaccinations and 14 percent receive no vaccinations at all, depriving them from protection from common childhood illnesses. In the rural southern region of Ouelessebougou, many families cannot afford to immunize their children and do not have access to vaccinations due to remote locale.
The Alliance partners with the Ouelessebougou hospital to provide vaccinations in and around the Ouelessebougou commune. The hospital does not have enough funding nor the means to distribute vaccines in the remote villages where we work. Our vaccination program makes it possible for rural communities to receive vaccinations free of charge. Because of this, thousands of villagers who would not otherwise have had access to or been able to afford vaccinations are now able to protect their children.
Vaccinations decrease the likelihood of contracting diseases and in an area where diseases are prevalent, such as Ouelessebougou, vaccinations truly save lives for hundreds of children every year. With the spread of COVID-19 in Mali, it is as important as ever for children to be protected. This project will fully vaccinate 4,000 children while will not only prevent nine life-threatening diseases, but also prevent hardship and even death in village families.
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