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U.N. Launches Polio Vaccination Campaign in Gaza Amid Conflict
The U.N. has initiated a crucial polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, aiming to protect children amid ongoing conflict. This vital effort seeks to prevent the spread of polio and ensure the health and safety of the community during challenging times.
U.N. Aid Agencies Launch Vaccination Drive in Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
In a significant public health initiative, U.N. aid agencies are set to commence a large-scale vaccination campaign across Gaza starting this Sunday. The aim is to safeguard young children against a rare strain of polio, following successful negotiations with Israel to implement temporary pauses in combat operations for several hours each day in specific areas.
This ambitious effort faces daunting logistical hurdles in a region where much of the infrastructure has been severely damaged due to ongoing hostilities. The vaccination operation is contingent upon the effectiveness of ceasefires, as the rule of law has deteriorated, hundreds of thousands of residents are currently living in makeshift shelters, and numerous buildings lie in ruins.
Regrettably, this initiative comes too late for at least one infant boy who was diagnosed with poliovirus type-2 earlier this month. This marks the first confirmed case of the disease to emerge in Gaza after it had been eradicated in most parts of the world during the 1990s.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, the U.N. agency focused on children, have successfully delivered over 1.2 million doses of polio vaccine sourced from Indonesia. These vaccines are intended for approximately 640,000 children in Gaza who are under the age of ten. An additional 400,000 doses are currently en route to support this critical effort.
To effectively halt the spread of polio, Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the leading WHO representative in Gaza, emphasized that at least 90 percent of the targeted children need to be vaccinated. This ambitious vaccination campaign will necessitate the mobilization of around 2,100 health and community aid workers, who will operate from approximately 700 medical facilities, mobile clinics, and temporary shelters throughout the region.
The vaccination process will take place during carefully coordinated pauses in military activities, scheduled for nine-hour intervals over a span of three days in designated areas across Gaza’s three primary regions: northern, southern, and central.