UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN children's agency UNICEF has delivered 1.6 million doses of oral vaccine to Sudan for the fight against a deadly cholera outbreak, a UN spokesman said on Tuesday.

"The vaccines arrived in the country at a critical time as cholera cases continue to be reported," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

UNICEF chartered the aircraft that delivered the vaccine on Monday, Dujarric said.

Sudan's Federal Ministry of Health reported eight deaths in the Blue Nile and Sennar states since the outbreak a month ago, he said.

The vaccines, funded by the Global Alliance of Vaccines, will be used in the vaccination campaign, beginning Oct. 12, the first in three years, UNICEF said in a release from the capital of Khartoum.

The agency said it is working with its partners to strengthen water treatment systems, distribute water purification products for stagnant water and provide technical support including monitoring for planning and implementation. Timely procurement and urgent delivery of vaccines is a top priority for UNICEF to prevent cholera from spreading further in Sudan. Enditem

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