161,000 Gaza Children Receive Polio Vaccine Amid Ongoing Conflict — WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Tuesday that more than 161,000 children under the age of 10 have received their first polio vaccine dose in central Gaza. This marks the start of a UN-led mass vaccination campaign in the war-torn Palestinian territory.
Initially, the WHO had aimed to vaccinate 156,000 children during the first two days of the campaign, which began on Sunday. However, the higher-than-expected turnout reflects the large number of displaced families currently living in central Gaza due to ongoing conflict.
The WHO expressed concern about reaching all children amidst the volatile situation, where thousands of Gazans are being forced to relocate as Israeli forces continue operations against Hamas. The vaccination campaign, initially planned for three days, may be extended due to challenges caused by the fighting.
The campaign follows the detection of the first polio case in Gaza in 25 years, prompting urgent efforts to prevent a potential outbreak. Experts warn that the crowded living conditions of displaced families heighten the risk of transmission.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to limited daily pauses in hostilities from 6 am to 2 pm to facilitate the vaccination drive, although reports of overnight strikes continue to pose difficulties for families reaching vaccination centers and for mobile teams operating in dangerous areas.
Following efforts in central Gaza, the campaign will extend to vaccinate 340,000 more children in southern Gaza and 150,000 in the north
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