Curbing an Afghan killer

The UN has started an $8 million drive to vaccinate 9 million Afghan
children against measles by April. Measles normally kills 35,000 Afghans a year,
but doctors fear more will die this year as many children are malnourished or
have become refugees. “Mothers were enthusiastic,” says a World Health
Organization spokeswoman in Kabul. “There was a great rush as the campaign posts
opened.” UN agencies have also brought in polio and tetanus vaccine. They fear
thousands of Afghan children may not survive the winter.