Kinkini Gupta
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Written By: Kinkini Gupta | Updated : September 17, 2024 4:14 PM IST
UNRWA Chief reports the successful vaccination of 90 per cent of the children in Gaza against polio virus, also says, "Next challenge is to provide children with their second dose at the end of September."
Polio outbreak in Gaza: Under the polio vaccination campaign taken up by the United Nations bodies, around 560,000 children under the age of 10 have been successfully vaccinated. The United Nations' bodies, the Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the World Health Organisation
(WHO) and partners collaborated with the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MOH) as part of an urgent and robust response to curb the outbreak of type 2 polio virus. They launched a three-phase vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip starting from 1st September to 12th September, 2024.
This was the first phase of vaccination drive during which as per reports from the head of UNRWA, have reached 90 per cent of the children. Philippe Lazzarini, the Chief of UNRWA said that 90 per cent of the children in Gaza have received the first dose against polio virus.
Lazzarini wrote on X, "Parties to the conflict have largely respected the different required 'humanitarian pauses' showing that when there is a political will, assistance can be provided without disruption. Our next challenge is to provide children with their second dose at the end of September."
The campaign to inoculate approximately 640,000 children in Gaza came after a 10-month-old boy was found to be positive of polio virus type 2. This was the first polio case in 25 years and it sparked concerns among UN bodies and health officials regarding both the health of Palestinians as well as people across borders. The regional conflict between Israel and Palestine has been going on for almost a year leading to devastating impacts on the health of civilians. There has been a total breakdown of health facilities, hygiene and sanitation, availability of clean water and food and other basic necessities. These dire conditions have not only triggered the polio outbreak but also other diseases like Hepatitis, skin diseases, maggot-nfested wounds and infections, malnourishment, etc.
