UNICEF and partners are helping to protect more than 830,000 children and adults from the threat of yellow fever in Côte d’Ivoire.

The West African nation is experiencing a yellow fever outbreak in four districts, which comes on top of post-election violence and uncertainty that has displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes. Most of the displaced are children and women, more than 20,000 of whom have fled to neighbouring Liberia.

The week-long vaccination campaign is being carried out in four mostly rural districts, where overall child vaccination rates are unacceptably low, and includes children aged from nine months. Since last November, there have been 66 recorded cases of yellow fever in the districts of Katiola and Beoumi, with 25 deaths recorded.

UNICEF Côte d’Ivoire officer-in-charge, Sylvie Dossou, says the vaccination drive shows that “despite the political impasse in the country, lifesaving humanitarian work continues to be done in Côte d’Ivoire and that we are reaching the most vulnerable”.

The severity of yellow fever, a potentially lethal infection transmitted by mosquitoes, is such that a single confirmed case in a country constitutes an epidemic. There is no known cure, but one dose of the vaccine provides immunity for 10 years.

The campaign is a partnership between UNICEF, WHO and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation.

What you can do
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Read a story about the humanitarian situation in Côte d’Ivoire and how UNICEF is helping