U.S. European Command Provides Hepatitis A Vaccines for Shëngjin Children (15 June 2006)

The United States European Command, through the U.S. Embassy’s Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC), donated 500 doses of the Hepatitis A vaccine to the local health clinic for children living in the Shëngjin area.  The vaccine donation is part of ODC’s Humanitarian Assistance program, which has funded other projects in other districts to improve the quality of healthcare for the civilian population.

Children of all ages received the inoculation today from medically trained members of the U.S. Special Forces, currently involved in a month-long joint exercise program with special forces of Adriatic Charter (A-3) countries (Albania, Macedonia and Croatia) in Shengjin.  The vaccine provides protection from Hepatitis A, a viral disease that is often transmitted by contaminated food or water.

The Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) manages the U.S. Department of Defense’s Humanitarian Assistance program, providing direct humanitarian assistance to the Albanian people. This program has been active in Albania since 1996, providing supplies and medical facilities, rebuilding schools, developing water projects and other non-military projects.

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