Unicef Praises Campaign Against Killer Kid Disease
With global attention focused on the World Cup, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today spotlighted a campaign
in Angola where four football stars have taken to the airwaves encouraging Angolans to participate in an upcoming
immunization campaign aimed at preventing killer child diseases.
"The campaign is] a perfect example of how sports, in particular football, can be used as a platform for social
mobilization,' <"http://www.unicef.org/football/index_intro_34637.html">UNICEF Communications Chief Joe Paulo de Araujo said
Thursday.And we couldn't have better advocates than the football stars, he added.
Using the football pitch as a metaphor, the TV spots feature measles getting a red card for foul play while the football
stars kick out polio and football nets keep out mosquitoes. Over a three-week period, the nationwide Enjoy a healthy
life campaign intends to immunize nearly four million children under 5 years-old against measles and polio.
The immunization drive is part of a strategic government plan to reach two Millennium Development Goals (<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) a set of time-bound targets for tackling poverty, illiteracy and other
global ills by aiming to reduce maternal mortality and under-five mortality rates, which are among the highest in the
world in Angola, UNICEF said. On average, one in seven Angolan women dies during childbirth and 260 of every 1,000
children never reach the age of six.
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