Shafaqna English- The polio vaccination campaign began on Saturday in Khan Younis, with the aim of vaccinating over 90% of children across all regions of Gaza by September 12.
A campaign to inoculate children in Gaza against polio and prevent the spread of the virus began on Saturday, as Palestinians in both the enclave and the occupied West Bank reeled from Israel’s ongoing military offensives.
Children in Gaza began receiving vaccines, the health ministry told a news conference, a day before the large-scale vaccine rollout and planned pause in fighting agreed to by Israel and the UN World Health Organization.
Majdi Duhair, Head of Technical Committee overseeing the vaccination effort, stated that the campaign will first focus on central Gaza from Sept. 1 to 4, followed by Khan Younis from Sept. 5 to 9, and will conclude in Gaza City and the northern regions from Sept. 9 to 12.
A polio vaccination campaign begin in Gaza will test whether a commitment to allow humanitarian pauses will work, UNRWA told The National on Friday (30 Aug 2024).
UNRWA’s Spokeswoman Juliette Touma said the pauses in fighting will be implemented in specific areas where the vaccine is being delivered and UNRWA will launch its polio campaign through its primary healthcare clinics.
But the aid groups in charge of the rollout say that the most critical factor is a pause in airstrikes in order to reach all the kids in Gaza. The UN warned that without the pauses, the vaccine rollout will not be possible and campaign must succeed.
Sources: ALJazeera, New Arab,Anadolu Ajansı , NPR