© 2001 American Public Health Association
The authors are with the School of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus. Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Darryl G. Koop, MD, MPH, 719 Amanda-Northern Rd, Lancaster, OH 43130 (e-mail: darryl.koop{at}prodigy.net).
Objectives. This report summarizes the results of the Macedonian refugee camps' Expanded Program on Immunization. Methods. Government agencies and nongovernmental organizations implemented an immunization program consisting of 3 mass vaccination campaigns in each of the 7 camps. Before the second mass campaign, weekly immunization clinics were initiated in each camp. Children younger than 48 months were immunized against 8 antigens according to a schedule established by the Macedonian Ministry of Health. Results. Immunization coverage rates in the second campaign were 91% in Cegrane and 73% in Brazda. Coverage rates of the weekly clinics averaged 93%. Conclusions. Initiating an expanded immunization program in the absence of a stable population is problematic.
| |||||||||||||||||||||